PDP attacks Buhari over comment on how APC could’ve used army, police to overrun opposition

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as a sad commentary for President Muhammadu Buhari, who won election on a free ballot in 2015 to contemplate or bemoan how he could have used security agencies to undermine the integrity of the electoral process in the country.

Buhari had on Monday, August 10, at a meeting with North-East governors at the President Villa said that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could have used the army and the police to overrun the opposition but for the interest of the nation.

He went further to say that it was the mistakes the APC made that resulted in the party’s loss of some states to the opposition PDP in the 2019 elections.

But responding in a statement also on Monday, the PDP said through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, that Nigerians were aware that in the 2019 presidential election, “such despotic and oppressive tactics were deployed to circumvent the electoral process and the wishes of Nigerians.”

The party added that it “hopes this is not a foreplay of what the APC and Buhari Presidency is planning to exert in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September and October 2020 respectively.”

The statement read in detail, “Nigerians witnessed the overrunning of Ekiti, Osun, Kogi, Bayelsa and Kano states by the APC using compromised security officials and thugs.

“In Kogi State, a police helicopter was used to disperse the electorate, who were on the queue to perform their civic duties on Election Day.

“Mrs. Salome Abuh, a frontline woman leader of the PDP, was burnt to death by members of the APC in the Kogi State election. Till date, no member of Mr. President’s party has been interrogated or arraigned for that murder.

“Contrary to Mr. President’s expressed concerns, Nigerians have never witnessed the level of electoral impunity seen under his administration.

“Nigeria is standing before the global community on Edo and Ondo governorship elections and the President must advise his party to allow INEC to carry out its responsibilities without interference.”