The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday, played down the rumour of military and police intimidation against voters in the forthcoming presidential and National Assembly elections rescheduled for Saturday February 23.
This position came against the backdrop of the controversial order from President Muhammadu Buhari to the army and the police on the election day.
It also pledged that the priority of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in winning the election was to reunite and heal the prevailing division across the country.
PDP maintained these positions in an alternate briefings organised by the National chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Osita Chidoka and Kola Ologbondiyan, its spokesmen in Abuja.
Secondus urged Nigerians to go out to vote and defend their votes, saying the controversial order of ruthlessness was a political intimidation meant to create voter apathy and scare away the electorate from discharging their legitimate franchise and ultimately give the APC the undue opportunity to rig the polls.
In his words, “We believe that the time has come to address Nigerians that they must be ready to vote on February 23.
“The government is familiar with the use of threat, intimidation and propaganda.
“We urge Nigerians to remain steadfast in their resolve to vote for Atiku Abubakar.
“No one will intimidate you because you are going to exercise your lawful duty”.
Also, Osita Chidoka promised all government functionaries not to be worried about the emerging Atiku Presidency because it would not engage in any witchhunt but will anchor his administration on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
He said, “Atiku’s priority will be to reunite Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines and heal the existing wounds of division.
“We shall cooperate with INEC and civil society groups to ensure credible, free and fair elections”.
But Kola Ologbondiyan appealed to Buhari, APC to accept the imminent defeat in good faith.
He said in the first hundred days of Atiku’s presidency, he would initiate the process of restructuring the country to fix the disturbing imbalances.
However, Secondus urged the military not to allow themselves to be dragged into partisan politics, saying the critical institution like the military should not be destroyed.
He added that the military can execute lawful orders and must respect their rules of engagement as the International Criminal Court, ICC, watches Nigeria over undue militarisation, assault and instigated violence against Nigerians come February 23.
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