Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has implored security agencies to place the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council on watch list.
Atiku alleged that the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been making comments that could incite violence and disrupt the smooth conduct of the 2023 presidential election.
The former vice president who spoke through Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organisation was reacting to a viral video in which Tinubu, while addressing some party leaders in a hall in London, charged them to grab power and run with it.
“Political power is not going to be served in a restaurant. They don’t serve it a la carte. At all cost, fight for it, grab it and run with it,” Tinubu had said in the viral video.
Reacting to the video, Atiku alerted the nation and the international community of alleged designs being promoted by Tinubu to incite violence.
Spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organization, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the video reflected a heightened apprehension by Tinubu who he said is intimidated by the rising acceptance of the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, across the nation.
He added that Tinubu, knowing there is no way he can win in a peaceful and credible election, has directed his party members to put aside decorum and deploy violence in the 2023 general elections.
He said, “Nigerians were horror-struck to watch the deflated and demystified APC Presidential Candidate inciting his supporters by stating that “political power is not going to be served in a restaurant, it is not served a la carte. It is what we are doing; It is being determined; you do it at all costs; fight for it, grab it, snatch it and run (away) with it”
“Tinubu’s directive that his supporters should “fight for”, “grab” and “snatch” political power with a confession that “it is what we are doing” validates apprehensions by Nigerians that the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign is behind the attacks on the campaign rallies of the PDP as well as the series of arsons on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“It is now clear that the Tinubu/Shettima’s Campaign is in bitter condemnation of INEC’s decision to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Results Viewing Portal as a ploy to incite their thugs against INEC, having realized that the direct transmission of election results will scuttle APC’s rigging plans.
“Moreover, the inciting comment by Tinubu substantiates the suspicion by Nigerians that the alarm raised by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Lucky Irabor, concerning pressures on the military to compromise the electoral process is pointing towards the direction of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign.
“Nigerians can now understand why the APC Presidential Candidate avoided the signing of the Peace Accord; why he has not condemned or issued any caution against acts of violence linked to members of his party and why his body language and comments have demonstrably been in promotion of violence.
“After a thorough review of the inciting video in circulation, other inflammatory comments and apparent tacit support for violence, it appears that the ‘The Emilokan of Bourdillon’ (it is my turn) has gone into a wave of “if I can’t have it then we destroy it” mode ahead of the elections.
“Our Campaign charges the security agencies to closely monitor the activities of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign given its proclivity to violence and apparent plot to derail the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.”
Atiku however commended Nigerians for being resolute in their determination to vote him to commence the onerous task of ‘change the change’, rescue our nation and rebuild her prosperity from the misrule of the APC.
The PDP also accused the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, of perceiving the 2023 election as a war.
The party’s national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, stated this during a press conference in Abuja while reacting to a viral video of Tinubu in London where he charged his supporters to ensure the party wins at all costs.
Ologunagba who condemned Tinubu’s comment said it was not what Nigerians want, adding that the comment was instigating electoral violence.
The PDP spokesman added that Nigerians expect a contest of ideas not a resort to violence.
He said, “When someone begins to take politics as war I think it is condemnable. You will recall only two days ago there is a viral video from the presidential candidate of the APC Political power is not going to be served in a restaurant, you did not serve it alar cate, it is worked weird, it is being determined, you do it at all cost, you fight for it snatch it grab it and run with it.
“That is not what Nigerians want, what Nigerians want is for you to bring the ideas, debate the ideas, let the people decide, don’t run for it and what he has done now is begin to instigate violence and say to his people go ahead grab it by all means and this concerned with this pattern over the years.”
Ologunagba further recalled how in 2019 threats were made by APC supporters in Lagos, that those who don’t vote for the party will be thrown into the lagoon.
“In 2019, consistent with that threat it was taking to the next level and you, the next level was the next level of violence. You recall that the PDP was leading very well in Lagos, during the election after collation when they found out that the PDP has won they unleash terror and you recall the pictures are there, the videos are there, evidence are there of systematic attack on certain people from the axis of Ejigbo, Okota down to FESTAC.
“The threat now is activated, again they are telling us that you grab it and run with it then they run with those results fraudulently so, but the people of Nigeria have now said enough is enough. All the shenanigans they did in Osun State, the people’s power still prevailed. But as a party we are moving ahead because we have a pact with the Nigerian people.”
In a related development, the director, Strategic Communications of the National Election Management Committee of PDP, Chief Dele Momodu, lamented the refusal of APC-controlled states to allow PDP install billboards.
Momodu in a separate press conference said, “A few times we’ve had issues, it was because some people wanted to disrupt our rallies. But thank God we have a very good defense team. They always go ahead to make sure that they can guarantee maximum security because if you go to a rally and people get killed or injured, nobody wants to come to the next rally. So we have been extremely fortunate that we’ve been able to prevent the thugs from taking over our rallies.
“In practically all APC controlled states, It’s been virtually impossible for us to install our billboards to paste our posters, use APC government controlled radio stations, especially in Lagos where the candidate of the APC is seen as next to God.
“So, I wish to appeal through you to the federal government since they control the APC, that this is not what democracy is all about. I was one of those who fought and suffered for this democracy. We never envisaged that in the civilian regime, we are going to have this kind of harassment, whereby we cannot practice democracy as it should be done.”
Reacting to the recent attack on Senator Lee Meaba’s residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he said such incidents were deplorable.
Momodu continued: “Even the National Security Adviser last week, came out and said the president has clearly instructed them to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers. We all know all the trouble spots. I’m surprised that after the President gave the instruction, some people still attacked the home of Senator Lee Maeba.
“The brother was told while he was being macheted, that if the Senator was home, one bullet would have solved the problem. Yes, there are internal issues within PDP but that should not result in bloodshed. So those who are involved.
“I don’t want to apportion blame because I’m not a security agent. So I have no facts of the case. And it’s even possible we could have been an opportunistic attack from anywhere we don’t know. So we appeal to our party members in reverse to cool temper.”
On the scanning of INEC cards, Momodu said, “We are particularly vigilant about INEC. I make immediately and anybody who knows me very well knows I live on social media. So I heard it, I picked up the footage of the video where the ladies seemed to be harvesting people’s details on PVC. So I immediately forwarded it to a top member of INEC and then they were very, very responsible.”
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