APC Plotting To Corrupt The Judicial Process And Steal Our Mandate In Rivers, A/Ibom – PDP

Olisa-MetuhThe Peoples Democratic Party has described the statement by the All Progressives Congress that it (PDP) was obstructing justice at the Rivers State governorship election petitions tribunal, as failed cheap blackmail and an infantile attempt to cover their illegality of using state security apparatus to attempt to subvert the victory of the PDP in the governorship poll in the state.

The opposition party said APC’s reaction to the petition written to President Muhammadu Buhari by 16 PDP federal lawmakers from Rivers State, showed the governing party’s desperation to grab power through the back door, in a state where it was roundly rejected by the electorate.

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Thursday, said the APC’s statement was aimed at blackmailing judicial and electoral officers in the state as well as to justify the “reprehensible” use of the security agencies to intimidate and attempt to arm-twist them to do its bidding.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to continue to note the various antics of the APC in its desperate scheme to corrupt the judicial process and steal the mandate freely given to the PDP by the people of Rivers State, including the use of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military to hound and intimidate INEC and judicial officers to get them to do their bidding.

“We are also aware of all the clandestine moves by the APC to capture power in Rivers and other PDP states, including Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Abia and Taraba States by all means, using such ploy.

“Our answer to the APC is that their antics cannot yield any results. These states are core PDP states and no amount of propaganda, blackmail, threats and intimidation can overturn the resounding verdict of the people as expressed in the governorship elections”, the PDP stated.

Metuh, however, called on security agencies and other critical stakeholders in the electoral tribunal process in the affected states to be on the alert and ensure that they do not succumb to the antics of the APC.

He also tasked members in the affected states to remain vigilant and continue to use all legitimate means available within the ambits of the law, to resist attempts by the APC to undermine their will as expressed at the polls.