PDP Govs, leaders plan march against presidential vote result
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, Governors, and federal lawmakers plan to protest today at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja over the result of the presidential election.
Among the Governors are Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun).
They are expected to take off from PDP headquarters, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja to the office of the INEC.
The INEC on March 1 announced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner with 8,794,726 votes, followed by PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar (6,984,520), and Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi (6,101,533).
Atiku and Obi have both rejected the result and vowed to challenge it in court.
But a memo sent out on Sunday by PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Director of Administration invited the party top brass to the march today.
“I am directed to respectfully invite your excellencies: The National Chairman, Dr Iyrochia Ayu, The Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, Governors of Akwa Ibom and Chairman of PCC, Mr Udom Emmanuel, Sokoto state and DG of PCC, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Governors of Bayelsa, Edo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Osun states.
“Former Senate Presidents, Senator David Mark and Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, BoT members, NEC members, the PDP Senators and House of Representatives Members, NWC members of the party, DDGs, Directors, Deputies and Assistant Directors of NCMC; Members of the PCC; leadership of People Living with Disabilities and all other stakeholders to a protest match to INEC office,’’ the memo said, per The PUNCH.
PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi explained “it [the protest] is to register its grievances and disenchantment following the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections.”
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APC warns PDP against public disorder
The APC reacted by cautioning the PDP not to incite the people to break the law with its street march, according to The PUNCH.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said it is unfortunate the PDP will resort to public disturbance instead of focusing on the court case it filed to contest the result.
His words: “On a general note, the PDP lost the election to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. That is why he is the president-elect.
“The PDP has indicated an interest in going to court to challenge the election. One will hope that they stick to following a lawful part in expressing whatever they may feel as a grievance in the outcome of the election.
“I am quite sure the PDP understands there are laws that govern public conduct in this country, hence the need to do nothing to instigate a crisis that is needless in the face of an election that was won by our candidate, now the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”
APC Director of Publicity Bala Ibrahim added “it may not necessarily be a protest. It may be a press conference. But I will suggest we allow them to protest first. Then we will see what they say in their demonstration and their conduct. If it is peaceful and democratic, there is nothing wrong with that.
“But if it turns out to be a different thing, the ruling party will react accordingly. We are democrats and we want to play the game according to the rule of democracy, which allows the minority to have a say but the majority will have their way.”