Rig Ekiti Election, Get Crisis, PDP Warns FG

• Wike promises free, fair LG polls

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government that there would be crisis if it attempts to rig the Ekiti State governorship elections.

This came as Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, promised the people of the state that the state local government elections scheduled for June 16 would be free and fair.

Speaking at the off of the PDP campaigns for the Rivers State local government elections at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, warned the APC-led federal government to stop killing Nigerians and stop harassing Nigerians through the promotion of impunity.

Tens of thousands of party faithful from the 23 local government areas of the state defied a heavy downpour to celebrate the party and witness the comencement Secondus also said any attempt by anybody to destabilise Rivers State which is 100 percent PDP would be visited by the wrath of God.

His words: “The forthcoming Ekiti State election is going to be a litmus test. We saw all that happened in Kaduna last Saturday. PDP won in all local government areas, but they over-turned the results.

“If you attempt to rig in Ekiti State, there will be crisis. We don’t know if there will be Nigeria after that. Our security agencies and INEC should not be deceived into rigging elections.”

He said Nigerians would vote out the APC federal government in 2019, adding that the PDP is united to take over governance.

He said that the PDP would provide the leadership that would create platforms of unity for Nigerians.

PDP leaders from the six geo-political zones led by the National Chairman of PDP, Secondus graced the event.

Speaking at the PDP campaign flag-off, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the elections would be credible and transparent.

He charged the chairmanship and councillorship candidates to sell themselves to their electorate if they must win elections.

“This eletion will not be rigged. Only popular candidates will emerge victorious at the polls,” he said.

Wike said the country is waiting for PDP because of the complete failure of the APC federal government.

“It has never happened that this country is divided on religious lines. APC has divided Nigeria based on religious faiths. Nigerians are tired of the deception and lies of APC. For us in Rivers State, we have nothing to do with APC. APC has no business with Rivers State,” he said.

The governor said Rivers people would resist any attempt to use the military and INEC to rig elections.

Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of party flags to the 23 PDP local government candidates by the Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah.

Also at the event, 150 former councillors of the APC defected to the PDP. They were received by the South-south PDP Zonal Vice Chairman, Emma Ogidi.