The All Progressives Congress (APC) is worried by the latest and familiar antics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has been beating wardrums ahead of Saturday’s Bayelsa state governorship supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government.
According to the APC National Secretary Mai Mala Buni, the party is aware of PDP’s ploy to intimidate eligible voters, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives deployed to ensure peaceful, free and credible supplementary elections in Bayelsa state on Saturday.
Mai Mala Buni: “While APC prays for a peaceful, free and credible supplementary election come Saturday, security agencies must be on high alert over the dangerous threats by the PDP to cause a breakdown of law and order in Bayelsa state on Saturday.
“Already, PDP leadership through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh has issued instructions to PDP members and supporters to “go ahead to use all means necessary” in Saturday’s supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw come Saturday.
“This is among other dangerous threats by the PDP warning of ‘terrible consequences’ to INEC officials and security operatives.
“As the saying goes, history may not repeat itself but it rhymes. It is clear that PDP is still hung over its old ways of doing things. The days of ‘do or die’ politics is over. Never again will the country return to the PDP ways of election fraud and violence. Change has come. We call on the PDP to embrace the new Nigeria where elections are peaceful and votes of the people count.
“APC is confident of INEC and security agencies’ ability to deliver peaceful, free and credible supplementary election come Saturday.
“On election day, we urge Bayelsans and all eligible voters in the state to go about their legitimate activities. We also call on INEC and security operatives to be mindful of the dangerous threats by PDP while also focusing on its legitimate election duties.
“The APC encourages the people of Bayelsa, particularly Southern Ijaw Local Government to come out during Saturday’s Bayesla supplementary election and vote massively for the APC Governorship Candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva as he is poised to deliver on APC’s Change Agenda as well as the dividends of democracy that has eluded the state.
“Looking back at the last seven months under the APC, it is clear that the party is on the right track to deliver on its Change Agenda. It is the right of Bayelsans to abandon a sinking ship and join one that is smooth-sailing.”
…PDP vows not to accept result if election is not free, fair
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said it would not accept anything short of free, fair and credible election in Saturday’s supplementary poll in the governorship election in Bayelsa.
In a statement by the party’s National Publicity S ecretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in Abuja, the party reminded Bayelsa voters that the supplementary poll will be conducted in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area where the exercise was cancelled following widespread violence.
Metuh said that PDP has again rallied its formation in the state, particularly in Southern Ijaw, to use all means necessary in a democracy to resist any move to rig the supplementary election.
He claimed that Southern Ijaw was a well-known PDP stronghold and that the party would never accept any results that did not reflect the will of the people.
“Let it be known to all that PDP is fully mobilised 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 APC in its trail.
“Southern Ijaw Local Government 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 would the PDP allow itself to be manipulated out in any election at any level, no matter the intimidation by the APC-led administration,’’ he said.
Metuh said that the party has called on its members and supporters not to leave the polling area after casting their votes but to remain alert within the distance provided by the law.
He also called on them to go ahead to use all means necessary to defend and protect their votes, should there be any attempt by anybody to rig the process.
“The PDP will intently monitor and keep records of activities, including all votes cast in every polling unit in Southern Ijaw and our members will not hesitate to unleash a legitimate anger, if at any point in collation, fictitious figures appear.”
…Probe Sylva’s $2m bribe offer to REC’s wife – Group tells INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been asked to launch an immediate investigation into an alleged $2 million bribe offered to the wife of Bayelsa Resident Electoral Commisioner (REC) by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.
A statement by the leader of Friends of Bayelsa, Otobo Osborne, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the instruments of government at his disposal to order an investigation into how and where Sylva got the $2 million to offer the wife of Bayelsa INEC REC in the state.
The statement alleged that Sylva actually did offer $2 million to the wife of the REC to upturn the results of Southern Ijaw in the December 5, 2015 in his favour.
According to the statement, the wife of the REC rejected the offer, saying her husband being a principled man with a high level of integrity, would not take the risk of tarnishing his reputation which had taken him a lifetime to build way back from when he was just a Customs officer to date.
-Leadership/Vanguard/NAN