PDP TO CALL FOR MASS PROTESTS
• It’s a dangerous move – Oshiomhole • Calling for CJN’s removal irresponsible – Yadudu • Civil disobedience will not help – Ibrahim
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared its preparedness to resist alleged attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to suppress it, saying it is ready to face the party squarely.
Though 12 governors elected on the platform of the party did not attend yesterday’s 87th emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, PDP leaders present, including Governors Umar Fintiri (Adamawa), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) resolved that it was time to engage the APC closely through all legitimate means available in a democracy to ensure that democratic institutions and ethos are not destroyed.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, told our correspondent that some governors couldn’t attend the meeting because it was an “emergency”.
“This meeting was an emergency one, so some of our governors who were already engaged in official assignments in their respective states couldn’t make it. That is it,” he said.
Ologbondiyan who addressed newsmen at the end of the meeting said the party had witnessed the destruction of democratic values, ethos and principles, consistent breach of the institutions of governance, particularly the 1999 Constitution under the present government.
“We assure Nigerians that the PDP through all available constitutional means including civil disobedience will insist that this government respects the rule of law and desist from influencing the judiciary, INEC and our security agencies.
“We will not allow the judiciary, legislature, security agencies and other institutions of government and democracy to become departments of the APC.
“We reject the destruction of our democratic institutions and values, especially the independence of the legislature, the politicisation of the judiciary and the compromise of our security and electoral institutions.
“We note with pains the constant abuse of the rule of law, the muzzling of the civil society and advocates of free speech as well as ordinary Nigerians.
“We totally condemn the utter desecration of judicial values, climaxing in the national embarrassment of the Supreme Court manufacturing votes and relating same to the APC and its candidate in the Imo governorship election, thereby robbing the people of the state of their mandate freely given to our candidate, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha,”he said.
Speaking during the opening session, former vice president Atiku Abubakar said it was time for the PDP to mobilise Nigerians to resist the treats to the nation’s democracy by the ruling party.
“Our party governed very well from 1999 up to 2015. As true democrats we conceded power to the opposition in the hope that it would further entrench democracy, development and unity.
“But alas, Nigerians have been proved wrong by the governing APC, it has become very necessary for us to mobilise Nigerians to resist the threat to our democracy, unity and development,” Atiku said.
He recommended that a committee be constituted to review the PDP’s performance in the 2019 elections and suggest ways to improve in future elections.
The party’s national chairman,
Uche Secondus, also said leaders of the party had resolved to stage a protest across Abuja over the Supreme Court verdict that sacked Emeka Ihedioha as Imo governor.
Speaking during the NEC meeting at the party’s secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Secondus said the aim of the protest was to impress it on Nigerians that injustice had been done to the party, though he gave no date for the protest.
He said the declaration of Hope Uzodinma of the APC as Imo governor was a miscarriage of justice, adding that though justice comes only from God, PDP leaders must speak out against injustice.
A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad in a unanimous decision on Tuesday in Abuja removed Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as Imo State governor, replacing him with the APC’s Hope Uzodinma, even as he emerged fourth in the governorship election. The PDP on Thursday urged an immediate review and reversal of the decision, just as it called for the removal of Mr. Muhammad as the chief justice, saying he influenced the judgment.