PDP threatens to snub 2019 elections

The Peoples Democratic Party has threatened that it may not participate in the 2019 general elections unless it gets assurance that what happened in Ekiti State governorship election would not be repeated.

National chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, spoke in Abuja on Thursday when he granted audience to joint delegation of International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute at the party’s national headquarters.

Secondus accused the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies of being partial during the conduct of the Ekiti governorship election.

He said the main opposition party did not contest against the All Progressives Congress or any other political party in the state, but contested against the commission and security agencies. 

He said, “Our opinion is that INEC and security agents are directly involved in this manipulation.

“As a matter of fact, we did not contest against the APC; we contested against the security agencies and INEC.

“Nigerians and the international community are aware of this fact because of what happened in the state.”

‎He disclosed that the party was consulting whether to participate in the 2019 general elections or not, “because you are participating against security agencies and INEC who have colluded to alter the figures even after you have voted. So, we are in a dilemma.”

According to him, if nothing is done to restore the confidence of ordinary Nigerians and other political parties, it might be difficult to accept the result of 2019 general election, no matter what the outcome might be, noting that such may a recipe for crisis.

He said, “Our members were harassed, arrested and detained overnight. All of these things were happening in the suburbs.‎He alleged that Ekiti State was militarised before and during the election, adding that PDP leaders were harassed and arrested and detained in the state.

“In the city, it was like a roadshow and it was like nothing was happening; but it was at the local government that they carried out their activities and most people were scared and didn’t come out to vote.

“The second thing was that they came out with federal might, with money, with everything to entice the voters.

“Even at that, we won the election but it was manipulated.”