APC, Presidency Denied Us Abuja Rally Venue – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday that it was denied access to the Old Parade Ground, the venue slated for its mega rally in Abuja.

The party therefore could not go on with its campaign in Abuja, as planned.

The PDP accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of being behind the refusal, stressing that it was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s “desperate plans” to actualise self-succession on May 29.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Director Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said after making payment and obtaining a receipt to use the venue yesterday, the Federal Capital Territory (FCTA) later invited them to go and collect their money.

“We were told there is an order from the above, that we can’t use that place. We have been invited to go and collect our money but we refused because there was no such agreement. The APC can’t stop us from campaigning in Abuja.

“We must hold our mega rally in Abuja. Buhari and the APC can’t stop us from using any facility in Abuja, because they didn’t build them; the consequences they will not be able to manage. We will take a decision today (yesterday) and announce to Nigerians when the rally will hold.

“It is part of the plot by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to drag the PDP and the people’s candidate to their low level of frustration in order to enmesh the coming election into crisis so as to achieve their selfsuccession bid.

“However, any further attack on our campaign will therefore attract very dire response from Nigerians who look up to Atiku Abubakar to salvage our dear nation from the social, economic and political despondency, which President Buhari has plunged her into.

“We want to place on record, once again that any attempt to rig the February 16 election will be vehemently resisted by Nigerians, across board, who have reached a consensus to rescue their nation from the stranglehold of the Buhari Presidency”, the PDP said.