The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has alleged of plots by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its chieftains to destabilise the general elections in the state.
Desmond Akawo, Director-General, Rivers PDP Campaign Council, made the allegation at a news conference on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
Akawo said that it became necessary to draw the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the plot and determination of the APC to prevent the elections from holding on Feb. 23 and March 9 in the state.
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had slated Feb. 23, and March 9 for the Presidential/ National Assembly and Governorship/State Assembly elections respectively.
Akawo said that indications in the state showed that the APC might scuttle the rights of the people of the state to a free and fair electoral process.
The director-general said that the APC at different fora had threatened that there would be no elections in the state until all pending litigations by the APC got to the apex Court for final decision.
Akawo said that the PDP was dismayed over continued silence of the Federal Government and the security agencies whom, he alleged, had failed to caution those behind such widely published threats capable of inciting the people of the state.
“The APC in a viral media publication by one of its chieftains, Mr Tonye Princewill, had said, it will be lawful to be lawless if INEC fails to unlawfully include the APC and its candidates on the ballot paper.
“In all of these threats by some APC chieftains, including the one issued during the Rivers Presidential campaign rally by the Transportation Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, who even incited his supporters with a war song, had yet to attract any condemnation by ether the security agencies nor the Federal Government,” he said.
Akawo also alleged that several undemocratic strategies, ranging from threats to even moves to bribe electoral officers and connive with security agencies to tamper with sensitive electoral materials had been employed by Rivers APC to disrupt smooth process.
In the same vain, Mr Ferdinand Anabraba, Chairman PDP Campaign Council, also alleged that the APC had displayed high level desperation and ready to do anything toward winning elections in the state.
“Just this morning, I got an information that my property in Abonima had forcefully been occupied by the army and the officers who are stationed there and are being used to cause crises in Abonima and Akuku-Toru Local Government Councils.
“It is important to note that whatever crises that will arise in Rivers, we will know its coming from the APC and the security agencies,” he alleged.
Meanwhile efforts by NAN to reach the APC stalwarts to react to the allegations failed before this publication.
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