The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, for allegedly planning to replicate the tactics used in the recent Edo State governorship election in the upcoming Ondo election.
Naijaonpoint reports that Ganduje also mentioned that the APC intends to apply this strategy in Anambra, which is presently governed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and other states in the South East, for future elections.
The former Governor of Kano State made these remarks on Monday in Abuja during a celebration of Senator Monday Okpebholo’s win with members of the Edo State election situation room.
Reacting through a statement released by the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, the party emphasized that the people of Ondo will not be intimidated or manipulated.
They warned that any attempt to undermine the democratic process would be met with resistance, invoking the memory of the events from 1979.
Peretei said: “The entire world was not only embarrassed but ashamed of what Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s sham called the Edo State Governorship Election held on Saturday, 21st September, 2024.
“While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Police were yet to clear themselves of partisanship and complicity in the election, National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who flew into Benin with a police helicopter, was gloating in Abuja that Ondo and Anambra would receive the Edo treatment when governorship elections hold in these states.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter believes that most Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are beginning to lose hope in our hard-earned democracy when major players like Ganduje openly allude to the fact that their votes will not count as long as men like him hold influential positions.
“Ganduje’s victories were the surest confirmation that the election was rigged. Instead of being sober for subverting the will of the people, Ganduje robbed salt on injury by saying that his party intends to control all five South Eastern States.
“Perhaps it is important to remind Ganduje that Ondo State is not one of the states where the people can be intimidated or cowed. Our people are very enlightened and resilient.
“When the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) attempted to subvert the will of the people, the people proved to the Shagari government that they were different. That tradition has not died.”