Sokoto will resist manipulation, says Tambuwal
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has assured that none of the states, where the party is in the lead, ahead of the March 23 supplementary elections would be hijacked by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The main opposition party also assured Nigerians that the votes they freely gave to its presidential candidate in the 2019 general election would never be in vain, saying the mandate given to its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would be recovered.
The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, gave the assurance in a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Secondus stated the position of the party during a solidarity visit by the leadership of the party to the Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday, ahead of Saturday’s supplementary election.
He stated: “Nigerians are extremely hurting over the rigging of the presidential and other elections by the APC, as well as the schemes to forcefully take over states already won by the PDP, leading to the supplementary elections.
“The party will surely recover the presidential mandate given to the people’s candidate, Abubakar, and ensure that none of the states where it is in the lead ahead of the March 23 supplementary election will be hijacked by the APC.
“Elections are about the will of the people. When you impose yourself on the people – it is not democracy. Today, Nigerians are unhappy with the way elections were rigged without allowing the will of the people to prevail.”
Responding, Tambuwal was quoted to have said that the PDP and the people of Sokoto State are upbeat and fully mobilised to ensure that their will is not subverted.
He stressed that they brought their federal might to bear but the will of the people prevailed against them and the party won, yet they declared the election inconclusive.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives noted that even on the day of election, they were going round the polling units and picking up members of the party, lamenting that there was open rigging in about six of the local government areas (LGAs).
Tambuwal said, “We are upbeat as Sokoto State has never been this mobilised. People are praying and fasting by themselves and they are ready once again to ensure that their will is not subverted.
“What happened in the last elections was unimaginable as security agents took over the state. Ballot papers were found with APC members on the streets. The staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the residences of our members, harassing and intimidating them.
“So, in Sokoto, they have the will of the people to contend with and given the prayers that our people are offering every day and their decision to checkmate the rigging of APC, victory is sure to be for us and the PDP.”
