The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has declared that the reason the leading opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is against the order against ballot box snatchers is because it plans to rig the coming election.
He said that against the backdrop of the concern its members had shown over the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that anyone caught causing disturbance or snatching ballot boxes would be “ruthlessly” dealt with by security agencies.
The president said an order had been given to that effect.
But the PDP and some sections of the public had said the order was an invitation to dictatorship.
The reason, they argued was that carrying out the order would amount to jungle justice.
However, speaking on the issue at a press conference in reaction to the argument of the opposition, Oshiomhole said the only reason PDP was against the order was because of alleged plan to rig.
“Atiku has called on the President to retract his instruction to security agencies regarding violence, ballot box thieves, and other electoral malpractices.
“The question is how such instruction disturbs anyone that is truly interested in free, fair and credible elections,” he said.
He alleged that the evidence of the PDP to rig was seen in the arrest and recovery of card readers and arms from persons said to be PDP thugs.
“The recent arrest of several armed PDP political thugs and recovery of INEC card readers and arms from PDP agents in some states point directly to the PDP’s plan as revealed by the security reports,” Oshiomhole said.
Oshiomhole argued that from some of the statements made by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, it was obvious that he had admitted that he was not popular and could not win the coming election.
He said with the achievements of the APC in the South South and South East, PDP would be shocked at the amount of support Buhari would get in the election.
Said he: “The South South and South East are not oblivious of the unprecedented developmental achievements recorded in the zones under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration.”
