AHEAD of Saturday’s Bayelsa State governorship run-off election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has
asked President Muhammadu Buhari to steer clear of the election by remaining neutral.The PDP has however, vowed to rally its formation in the state and particularly Southern Ijaw council, to use all means necessary in a democracy to resist any move by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to rig the election.
In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said that it has since been made aware of plots by the APC to use compromised security operatives and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials to attempt to produce fictitious votes and declare itself winner, but vowed that any such unholy bid would be greeted with vehement resistance and dire consequences.
Metuh, who reiterated that Southern Ijaw was a well-known PDP stronghold, said it would never accept any result that did not reflect the will of the people.
He said: “We issue this statement as direct notice to the APC and their compromised INEC, military and other security operatives who have been stationed to ostensibly assist to produce fictitious votes with which the APC intends to declare itself winner.
“Let it be known to all that the PDP is fully mobilized for Saturday’s supplementary election. Our members across Southern Ijaw have been stationed in every polling unit, every collation centre and every exit and entry point in the area, and have been directed to use all means available in a democracy to stop the APC in its trail.
“Southern Ijaw council is a well-known stronghold of the PDP and we will not in any way accept anything short of free, fair and credible election, abundantly reflecting the will of the people.
“Anything to the contrary will attract terrible consequences. We restate our resolve that never again will the PDP allow itself to be manipulated out in any election at any level, no matter the intimidation by the APC-led administration.
“Consequent upon our loss of confidence in INEC and security agencies, we hereby make public our instruction to our members and supporters not to leave the polling area after casting their votes but to remain alert within the distance provided by law and go ahead to use all means necessary to defend and protect their votes, should there be any attempt by anybody to rig the process.”
