The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has criticised the All Progressives Congress over its national convention
after clashes broke out among delegates from Imo and Delta states.
According to a statement signed by the National Publicity
Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, the convention was not free and
fair.
Rather, the opposition party called it “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,” the statement read in part.
Saturday’s National Convention of the ruling party had been held
amid tight security with 5,000 policemen deployed as wells hundreds of security
personnel from other agencies.
But the PDP said the convention was marked by intimidation.
“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,” it claimed.
The PDP called on Nigerians and members of the international
community to note events at the convention, saying those behind developments at
the event were “bent on destroying” the country’s democracy.
“It is instructive to state that the APC convention directly
reflects the confusion, intimidations, violations and descent to fascism, that
have characterised governance in our nation in the last three years,” it ad
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