The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) berates the national convention of
the dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) as a charade, a
mockery of democracy and assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.
The open intimidation and physical assault on aspirants and delegates to
the convention further confirm the desperation by President Muhammadu
Buhari’s camp to seize the APC’s presidential ticket, for which they
have resorted to imposing pliable officials who had been handed the
directives to muzzle other presidential aspirants in the APC ahead of
the party’s Presidential primary.
Delegates and other members of the APC were horrified when aspirants to
various party offices were being threatened, harassed and in some cases,
paid and handed written orders to mount the stage and announce their
withdrawal for aspirants listed by President Buhari, under heavy
security presence.
Nigerians are invited to note that some of the officials preferred,
particularly, the National Chairman, are individuals overburdened by
heavy corruption allegations, and whose expected investigation and
prosecution have been traded for a Presidential ticket for President
Buhari.
The world observed with shock how aspirants and delegates who dared to
raise questions were manhandled by thugs and intimidated by security
operatives.
It is instructive to state that the APC convention directly reflects the
confusion, intimidations, violations and descent to fascism, that have
characterized governance in our nation in the last three years.
President Buhari’s handlers are aware that due to his poor performance,
clinching his party’s presidential ticket under a free, fair and
credible primary is impossible, hence this resort to intimidation,
coercion and escalation of official hooliganism in the APC.
While we urge Nigerians and the international community to mark the
desperation in Mr. President’s camp, for which they are bent at
destroying our democracy, it is clear that with the character,
personality and outlook of the incoming national executive of the APC,
the party has been finally sunk by President Buhari and his power hungry
cabal.