We’ll confront security forces, APC thugs head to head – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to confront security forces deployed to monitor next Saturday’s presidential election as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) “thugs” that may make any attempt to manipulate the election in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, told newsmen at a press conference on Sunday in Abuja, that the party was adopting all democratic means to ensure the election was not rigged.

Ologbondiyan said PDP members and supporters in the country have been directed to remain at the polling centres after casting their votes, monitor the collation of results, use all means available to defend their votes to the end and ensure that no result was altered, accusing the APC and the Presidency of plot to rig the polls.

“In this determination, the PDP is ready to confront the Buhari-controlled security forces and APC thugs, head to head, at all levels.

“For this, we charge our members and supporters to use every means available to them legitimately in a democracy to defend themselves and resist all acts of intimidation by the APC.

“You will particularly recall that on February 4, 2019, the PDP handed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a 48-hour ultimatum to make public the list of all officials and ad-hoc staff that will play any form of role in the February 16 Presidential election at all levels, for verification by stakeholders.

“That demand was predicated on our findings that the INEC leadership in deferring to directives by Buhari Presidency and the APC had collected lists of APC loyalists from APC state governors and candidates, across the federation to serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units.

“You will recall that upon our demand the APC openly directed INEC to ignore the PDP and go ahead with its compromised list.

“Shockingly, INEC leadership appeared to have obeyed the APC ostensibly because of threats by the party’ to give its leadership the ‘Onnoghen treatment’ if it fails to comply,” the PDP said.