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The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party met in
Abuja on Thursday over the conduct of the rerun governorship election in
Osun State.
While rejecting it, the party also said that the Thursday election was one of the worst days in the history of Nigeria.
It described the election as a black day for the nation. The
National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, spoke at an
emergency meeting after the meeting of members of the PDP National
Working Committee.
He lamented that Osun State was put under siege and the citizens’
right trampled upon by security agents, whom he said were backed by both
the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral
Commission officials.
He expressed concern that if what took place in Osun State was what
would take place in 2019, then the future of Nigeria’s democracy “is bleak and the nation sliding into crisis.”
He said,
“What we have witnessed in Osun shows clearly that the
All Progressives Congress is not ready for an election and we are
afraid that President Muhammadu Buhari will not hand over if he loses
the election next year.
“Today, we are all aware of the rerun election in Osun State as
we address the press conference. We, the members of the National
Working Committee, have reviewed what has happened from the distribution
of materials to the actual voting in some of the units and wards.
“We found that Osun is under siege. Therefore, today is a black day for Nigeria.
“We would think that it is a state or some units, but if you
look at what has transpired so far from Ekiti to Osun State, Nigerians
are groaning in pains especially the Osun people.
“The right of the citizens to be able to come out and vote had
been trampled upon and the entire state and the wards and units have
been seized by the security agencies who were acting on behalf of the
APC to make sure the election is rigged by all means.
“We are sad that if this is what is going to take place in
2019, then the future of Nigeria’s democracy is bleak and we are sliding
into crisis.”
Secondus challenged INEC to rise above what happened in Osun and declare the PDP candidate as the winner of the election.
He also called on the commission to immediately cancel the
elections in all the units where security agencies seized the Permanent
Voter Cards of PDP members and also where their members were prevented
from voting.
In his reaction, the Deputy National Chairman (South-West), Dr Eddy
Olafeso, noted that security agents colluded with the APC people by
allowing those wearing uniform bearing the APC governorship name to
vote.
He alleged that in Orolu and Garage Olode and some of the units,
the PVCs of PDP members were seized and INEC members of staff were
induced with cash, which he said they could not refuse.