…The APC says it has no reason to destroy the democratic process that brought it to power
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of responsibility for the attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hours after the PDP made a similar accusation against APC.
Nine INEC offices in seven states have been attacked and burnt this month alone, with numerous sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials and equipment destroyed.
The PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, repeated the party’s accusation that the APC was sponsoring the attacks so as to frustrate the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.
In response on Tuesday evening, APC spokesperson, John James Akpanudoedehe, said the accusation was ‘senseless and reckless’.
He said the APC has no reason to destroy the democratic process that brought it to power, and pointed the finger for the attacks at PDP.
“The PDP should address itself to the reality that it stands rejected by the electorates, its undemocratic plan is ill-fated and will fail woefully,” Akpanudoedehe said.
The APC urged Nigerians to reject and resist the PDP’s antics and actions, the same way PDP advised Nigerians to ignore the APC in Tuesday’s earlier statement.
Akpanudoedehe also asked security agencies to go after PDP members the same way Ologbondiyan called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to invite APC leaders and question them.
INEC has been hit with a string of attacks over the past three weeks in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, and Anambra.
The commission said in a statement on Monday, May 24 that the orchestrated attacks will significantly affect its preparations for electoral activities, especially the November 6 Anambra governorship election.
The commission last week met with its Resident Electoral Commissioners to discuss the trend of worrying attacks, and will soon meet with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
Credit: Pulse News, Samson Toromade.
