PDP Vows To Recover Election Mandate …Says APC Can’t Hijack Re-Run Guber Polls

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, boasted that it would surely recover the Presidential mandate given to its candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the February 23, presidential election.
It also said that none of the states where it is in the lead ahead of the March 23 supplementary election will be hijacked by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, yesterday, said the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, declared the party’s position during a solidarity visit to the Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal ahead of Saturday’s supplementary election.
Secondus said, “Nigerians are extremely hurt over the rigging of the Presidential and other elections by the APC, as well as the schemes to forcefully take over states already won by the PDP, leading to the supplementary elections.”
In his words, “Elections are about the will of the people. When you force yourself on the people; that is not democracy.
“Today, Nigerians are unhappy with the way elections were rigged without allowing the will of the people to prevail”.
Secondus also enjoined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the forthcoming supplementary elections are transparent.
He said that the process should not be militarised, in order not to intimidate and terrify people at the polls.
The chairman said that such allegations made across the country made the Army hierarchy to investigate its officers and men’s involvement, stressing that election security should be mainly a police responsibility.
“I appeal to security operatives and the electoral body to remain apolitical and respect their laws of engagement, as their neutrality will always accord them dignified respect,” he said.
Secondus urged the electorate and participating parties to play by the rules of the game, and expressed optimism that Tambuwal would win the election in Sokoto.
“PDP has confidence in Nigerian laws, and I have confidence Tambuwal, being in the lead, will be declared winner in the March 23 election,” he said.
In his response, Governor Aminu Tambuwal reportedly said that the PDP and the people of Sokoto State were upbeat and fully mobilized to ensure that their will is not subverted.
“We are upbeat as Sokoto State has never been this mobilised. People are praying and fasting by themselves and they are ready once again to ensure that their will is not subverted.
“What happened in the last elections was unimaginable as security agents took over the state.
“Ballot papers were found with APC members on the streets. The staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the residences of our members, harassing and intimidating them.
“Even on the day of election, they were going round the polling units and picking up our members. There were openly rigging about six of the local government areas.
“They brought their federal might to bear but the will of the people prevailed against them and we won, yet they declared the election inconclusive.
“So, in Sokoto, they have the will of the people to contend with and given the prayers that our people are offering everyday and their decision to checkmate the rigging of APC, victory is sure to be for us and the PDP”.
Tambuwal commended Secondus for PDP’s performance in the elections, and urged security agencies to ensure neutrality in election processes.
He said intimidation always denied the people freedom and composure to elect candidates of their choice, and urged those involved in such acts to desist from it.
PDP, therefore, urged all its members and supporters to remain steadfast and march out on March 23 to consolidate on the victory already won by the party in the states where supplementary elections have been scheduled.