As the ruling All Progressives Congress held its national convention on Saturday,, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has described the the convention as a mockery of democracy and assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.
PDP alleged that the open intimidation and physical assault on aspirants and delegates to the convention further confirmed the alleged desperation by President Muhammadu Buhari’s camp to seize the APC’s presidential ticket.
It said this made the camp to have resorted to imposing officials who it further alleged, had been handed the directives to muzzle other presidential aspirants in the APC ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, that delegates and other members of the APC were horrified when aspirants to various party offices “were being threatened, harassed and in some cases, paid and handed written orders to mount the stage and announce their withdrawal for aspirants listed by President Buhari, under heavy security presence.”
He added, “Nigerians are invited to note that some of the officials preferred, particularly, the National Chairman, are individuals overburdened by heavy corruption allegations, and whose expected investigation and prosecution have been traded for a Presidential ticket for President Buhari.
“The world observed with shock how aspirants and delegates who dared to raise questions were manhandled by thugs and intimidated by security operatives.
“It is instructive to state that the APC convention directly reflects the confusion, intimidations, violations and descent to fascism, that have characterized governance in our nation in the last three years.
“President Buhari’s handlers are aware that due to his poor performance, clinching his party’s presidential ticket under a free, fair and credible primary is impossible, hence this resort to intimidation, coercion and escalation of official hooliganism in the APC.
