The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the presidency for its agitated response to the warning that if the 2015 elections are rigged, the party will not recognize the outcome and will go ahead to form a parallel government, saying that represents the stand of the party.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said that what Gov. Rotimi Amaechi said at the APC’s Salvation Rally, which has now rankled the presidency into a state of delirium, was simply to reiterate the stand taken by the party before the last Osun State Governorship election.
”Those who are fretting about this statement are those who are planning to rig the elections and they should be warned that Nigerians will no longer accept the outcome of any fraudulent polls. Those who incite the people are those who steal their mandate.
”What we made is a conditional statement. If A happens, then B will follow. That means if elections are not rigged, there will be no problem. It is therefore laughable that anyone will call that statement treasonable,” it said, adding that there is no higher treason than the subversion of the people’s will.
APC said it is common knowledge that anywhere in the world where elections have been rigged, the consequences have been dire, and Nigeria will not be an exception.
”Let us remind the presidency, in case it has forgotten, that election fraud triggered a civil war in Algeria in the early 1990s, led to the killing of over 1,000 people in post-election riots in Kenya in 2007/2008 and fired a near revolution in Iran in 2009/2010. Electoral frauds also corrupt democracy and breed dictatorship, and risks making the people to lose confidence in democracy. Why then would any government react violently if warned against election rigging?” the party queried.
It said that instead of issuing threats and engaging in name calling, the presidency should simply brace up to ensure that the forthcoming elections are not only free, fair and credible, but are seen to be so by Nigerians and the international community.
APC said it is necessary to constantly warn the PDP and the Federal Government not to tamper with the 2015 polls because of their penchant for electoral desperation, which manifests in the intimidation of the opposition and the militarization of election, disposition to anarchy and propensity for impunity.
The party said already, the process leading to the 2015 polls are flawed, with moves to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians by making it impossible for them to either register or get their Permanent Voters Cards and the plot to depopulate the strongholds of the opposition.
”PDP and the governments it sired, especially at the centre, are lawless and anarchic. That’s why they can unleash the police against federal legislators in an attempt to force a removal of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. That’s why a state under the control of the PDP will use seven lawmakers to remove the Speaker in a 26-member House of Assembly.
”Because it is said that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, we will constantly warn the PDP and the Federal Government not to tamper with the 2015 elections. We will constantly chide them for trying to institutionalize impunity. We cannot and will not be intimidated by an uptight presidency,” it said.
”The PDP and the Jonathan Administration are the masters of impunity, and they will not hesitate to exploit any sign of docility in the face of their evil intentions on the part of the opposition. The lessons are there: Had the members of the House of Representatives been docile on Thursday when remote-controlled security agents invaded their premises and barred them from entering, Tambuwal would have ceased to be the Speaker by now.
”For us, the gloves are off. We will no longer engage in any nicety as long as some people are bent on thwarting the will of the people through electoral fraud. All we are demanding is a free, fair and credible election. All we are saying is that no one should incite the people by stealing their mandate. How these demands can be construed to mean treason is as baffling as the do-or-die disposition of the ruling PDP to elections,” the party said.
Rivers APC Dismisses Call for Amaechi’s Arrest
Also ,the Rivers State Chapter of APC says it has noted with amusement the ranting of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, asking the Federal Government to try Governor Chibuike Amaechi for treason, and that of Dr. Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, who described Governor Amaechi’s innocent clarion call during the last Salvation Rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Eagle Square, Abuja, as inciting, treasonable and gross rascality.
‘Even more amusing is the ridiculous statement by the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asking the police and the military to arrest Governor Amaechi over his well-received speech during the said rally’ APC said in press release signed by Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, Senior Special Aide on Media and Publicity to Rivers State APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya.
APC said it has become necessary to put Amaechi’s statement in proper perspective in order to prevent Fani-Kayode, Okupe and other ‘bootlicking, undemocratic, debased, sycophantic and misguided elements’ from misconstruing, misrepresenting and distorting what the Rivers State Governor said.
The full text of the press statement read:
“What Governor Amaechi said was that should PDP use the police and the military to rig the 2015 elections against the will of Nigerians, the APC will form a parallel government. (Is the PDP Government plotting to rig the 2015 elections?). He further stated that the idea of distributing rice and beans by some elements in the Presidency that has led to the death of innocent Nigerians should stop. (Are Dr. Okupe and his co-travelers saying that we should allow PDP in its mission as Poverty Distribution Party, PDP, to continue unabated?) Governor Amaechi also advised the Presidency to restore the security aides of House of Reps Speaker Aminu Tambuwal based on court ruling and to reassure Nigerians of its readiness to curb corruption and to stop the wanton killing of Nigerians in the North East by Boko Haram. (Do we assume that Dr. Okupe and disgruntled Fani-Kayode are happy for the daily massacre of Nigerians in the North East while their families are well secured in Abuja with public funds?)
“Clearly, Governor Amaechi’s statement was borne out of patriotism and love for the greatness of our nation. For Dr. Okupe, Fani-Kayode and Rivers State PDP to describe this honest advice by a concerned Nigerian leader as treasonable and inciting simply demonstrates their frustration and betrays the fact that PDP intends to rig the 2015 general elections and to continue to foist on 170 million Nigerians an unpopular and uncaring government whose acts of impunity and promotion of insecurity and poverty have become legendary.
“We came to this conclusion based on the current rating of PDP as a party of impunity, lawlessness and lack of internal democracy. Nigerians are praying and hoping that these elements will not truncate our democracy before they are duly voted out come 2015. The shame at the National Assembly and approval of the acts of rascality by the police by Fani-Kayode and Dr. Okupe – by extension the Presidency – simply demonstrates that the Presidency of Dr. Jonathan has come to its wits end. No sound Nigerian can ever vote for the undemocratic PDP elements currently ruining our beloved country. Look at the shame happening in Ekiti State, where the police and PDP leadership aided seven lawmakers to impeach the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly in a House of 26 members and the likes of Dr Okupe and shameless Fani-Kayode whose acts are very obvious to all Nigerians are keeping silent!
“Look at the shameful utterances of Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State describing the opposition as cockroaches that should be crushed! In other words, the distinguished and highly respected General Muhammadu Buhari from Katsina is a cockroach; and Dr. Okupe and Fani-Kayode because of their jaded state of minds are keeping quiet! Thank God that the USA Government and the European Union have condemned Governor Shema for incitement and rascality. According to the USA Government, “We are deeply troubled by Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State’s recent statements calling for the killing of the ‘cockroaches of politics.’ The rhetorical threat of violence undermines the democratic process and is utterly unacceptable in a democratic society.”
“We became more than ever convinced that PDP will be voted out in 2015 when President Jonathan on Thursday told a gathering of PDP leaders in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that he hardly gets what he looks forward to in life and that, sometimes, things that he did not think about are the ones he gets. We are motivated and happy to note that President Jonathan could confess that he never gets whatever he wants. For him to now want to contest the 2015 elections against all good counsel, he should wait to be the first elected President to be voted out of office come 2015.
“Dr. Okupe, Chief Fani-Kayode and their likes are the ones deceiving and compounding issues for Mr. President. For reducing him to what he currently is, those that are still supporting the sinking PDP should hold the likes of Okupe and Fani-Kayode responsible and leave Governor Amaechi alone as he has done his best to make the Presidency to think and act in the best interest of our nation to no avail.
“No matter the antics of INEC to deny most of us, particularly in APC-controlled states, our permanent Voters Cards (PVC), Nigerians should not be frustrated but ensure that they collect their PVCs and collectively vote out this party that thinks by distributing rice from our looted fund we can be bought.
“We conclude by congratulating and commending all members of the House of Representatives for shaming the enemies of democracy by uniting behind their Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, during last Thursday’s unwarranted attack on our democracy. With the development in the House, Nigerians are more motivated that we still have leaders that can protect our democracy and Constitution”.
