2019: PDP alleges plot to clampdown on opposition, CSOs, others

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said it has uncovered plans by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to clamp down on key members of the opposition parties as well as civil society organisations, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

In a statement by PDP spokesman, Kola Olagbondiyan, the party said the clampdown would be linked to phantom corruption charges, just to weaken the opposition ahead of the polls.

He said: “Part of this heinous plot is also to arrest members of the civil society, opinion leaders, the media and professional groups who refused to buy into the fabrications, lies, deceptions and propaganda of the APC and the Federal Government.

“The PDP is reliably informed that the plot against opposition will be hinged on trumped up charges of corruption, allegations of plotting to disrupt the processes leading to the 2019 general elections as well as alleged politicization of security issues in the country.

“The first leg of this scheme is to commence a vicious intimidation and harassment of PDP members who have refused to succumb to pressure to join the APC in their undemocratic quest to create room for a one party state in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, PDP has dismissed advice by APC that it should learn from former Senate president, Ibrahim Mantu‘s claims on how he rigged elections for the party.

The APC had on Saturday  called on the PDP  to follow the example of Mr Mantu, a PDP leader, and confess to its sins against Nigerians.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, yesterday, said Mantu’s reported claims are personal to him and has nothing to do with the PDP.

“It is important to state that the trajectory of our political history neither provides a space for a one party state nor a self-succession shenanigan that seeks occupation of political offices without elections.

“The PDP, which grew our democracy to become sustainable and successfully handed power to the opposition after the 2015 general election, has a responsibility to ensure that democracy and the application of its tenets flourish without let in our country.

“The PDP and the majority of Nigerians, rallying under our repositioned platform, will never be intimidated or cowed on the principles of democracy.

“All we are saying is that the APC and its Federal Government must provide good governance and live up to its campaign promises of eradicating corruption, vanquishing insurgency and bringing our currency to the value of one naira to one US dollar, among others.

“We want the APC and the federal government to know that this country belongs to all of us and that this plot against the people will be firmly resisted not only by the members of our party but also by generality of Nigerians and the international community at large,” the statement read.