By Destiny Day
Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) said Monday that the All Progressive Congress (APC) was working towards the enthronement of an interim government.
The CUPP also said the meeting held by the APC caucus where President Muhammadu Buhari encouraged the army and the police to shoot Nigerians at the slightest provocation of ballot box snatching shows they are planning bloody election come saturday.
They said the meeting was borne out of the desperation and fear of imminent defeat in the coming presidential election on Saturday, February 23.
The CUPP said they have always known that the APC leadership under Buhari andn Oshiomhole have been working towards the enthronement of an interim government.
The CUPP communicated their feeling in a statement signed by Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, 1st National Spokesperson.
According to him, the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to succumb to the APC demand for staggered elections and for the Akwa Ibom Electoral Commissioner’s refusal to surrender the sensitive materials to Senator Godswill Akpabio were some of the issues that have kept the APC leaders restless and uncomfortable.
The full statement reads:
“The CUPP has reacted to the hastily convened meeting of the outgoing All Progressives Congress and describes the meeting as a meeting called to formalize the planned bloody commotion on Saturday, to give room for writing of fake results, sack of the INEC Chairman and fine tune processes for the emergence of an interim government.
“We have severally raised the alarm that President Buhari was working towards establishing an interim government. Events in the last few days have again vindicated us and for the first time in Nigeria’s history a siting government deliberately scuttled the holding of elections by sabotaging the processes.
“The move to sack the INEC Chairman for standing by the people and not succumbing to Presidency pressure to conduct staggered Presidential elections is what has irked the APC the most. The ranting of the APC Chairman in calling for the head of the INEC leadership speaks volumes when it is obvious and as irrefutable facts have shown that the government was responsible for the sabotage which INEC suffered and which eventually led to the postponement of the elections.
“Mr. Oshiomhole cannot follow the witches to kill the baby at night and then follow humans to mourn the same baby in the morning. The hand of the the Presidency and the APC are written all over the sabotage suffered by INEC and Nigerians must not fail to hold them responsible.
“The fear of imminent defeat staring them in the face is the only reason for such a panicky meeting and that reason is not lost on Nigerians. They have gathered to develop as they usually do, evil plans to undermine the people and distort their will. They have just succeeded in heating up the polity and we urge Nigerians to remain calm, not be distracted and not to be taken in by the grandstanding and usual boastful antics of Mr. Oshiomhole for behind all that façade are inherent evil, mischief and unbridled avarice.
“Mr. Oshiomhole’s attack on the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State Mr. Mike Igini was simply because the REC refused to make result sheets of two of the three Senatorial seats and also the Presidential election result seats available to Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
“How could Mr. Oshiomhole complain that people are staying long in their offices when he is the National Chairman of the Party in government which never redeployed any officer throughout its lifespan, brought in new blood to rejig failing appointees and refused to sack service chiefs years after they were all due for retirement. A typical dirty kettle used by the firewood stand calling the pot used on a gas cooker black.
“Nigerians must note that the live coverage of the so-called caucus meeting was meant to achieve a dual purpose. First to give impetus to all APC thugs that since the President endorsed all the shenanigans of the ruling Party, that they should go on rampage and also to give instructions to security forces publicly to execute any citizen who tries to stop the rigging machine jointly being executed by the military.
“The President was unambiguous in his call that citizens should be shot dead extra judicially if they ever tried to stop the security forces from rigging the elections. That is the most callous public statement ever by a Nigerian President. It must be condemned by all well-meaning citizens and the international community. President Buhari must be held personally responsible for the loss of any lives due to the instructions he has given to the security forces.
“The so called caucus meeting of the APC is a meeting of desperadoes gripped by the fear of imminent defeat and it can only be likened to the last futile kicks of a dying horse which cannot save it. Nigerians have resolved to send this government packing and make Nigeria work again. Nigerians have resolved to vote for a better life. Nigerians have resolved to reclaim their country from the brink of total collapse and restore it to the path of glory, progress and prosperity.”
