•Alerts of plot by APC to disrupt Ondo rally
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDp), yesterday, counseled the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to apologise to Nigerians for reportedly presenting a photograph of former Cross Rivers governor, Donald Duke, in a documentary as himself (Tinubu).
This is as the party has alerted of alleged plots by the APC to orchestrate violence and disrupt its presidential rally, scheduled to hold today in Akure, Ondo State.
In a statement by one of the spokespersons of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organization, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP campaign said Nigerians were miffed by the reported disingenuous use of Duke’s picture in the said documentary to portray Tinubu, purportedly at his young age, which again confirmed the dishonesty of the APC presidential campaign and further questions the personal integrity of the APC candidate.
According to Ologbondiyan, “It is instructive to note that the gale of questions and controversies surrounding the personality of the APC presidential candidate smacks of a merchandise in ‘Oluwole’ market, a Lagos Center, where anything was possible.
“Such reputation is less demanding of any individual seeking to lead a nation like Nigeria with over 200 million citizens, who are in dire need of a credible, transparent, honest and truthful leader.
“Our campaign believes that Asiwaju Tinubu should apologise to Nigerians for making them believe that he was the one in the said picture of former Governor Duke and using it to gain followership in the documentary that was part of his campaign materials being used to canvass for votes.
“It is not enough for the Tinubu Campaign to engage in conflicting reactions over the reportedly stolen photograph weeks after the identity theft had gained strong traction in public discourse. In fact, it stands in strong validation of allegations against the APC Presidential Candidate.”
Already, he said that the inability of Asiwaju Tinubu and his campaign group to adequately explain his links to the forfeiture of a whopping sum of $460,000 in a narcotic trafficking case, the reported theft of another Nigerian identity for campaign documentary amid other sundry allegations, placed huge question around the integrity of Tinubu as an individual.
Also, ahead of its rally today in Akure, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the APC, having lost all foothold in Ondo State and dazed by the increasing popularity of the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over its deflated Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resorted to violence in a desperate bid to disrupt its rally in the state.
So far, the PDP presidential rallies have been attacked in Kaduna and Maiduguri.
Ologunagba said the PDP was aware of plots by the APC to import thugs from Kogi State and station them at strategic locations along roads and intersections leading to the rally venue in Akure town to attack their members and other Nigerians, similar to the dastardly acts APC perpetuated against the PDP at their Kaduna and Borno States rallies.
He further said the APC leaders were reportedly bragging that APC-led Ondo State Government, had bribed commercial road transporters in the state not to provide transportation to PDP members and supporters so as to frustrate their movement to the venue of the rally.
He however, stated that the party would not be deterred by APC’s plots, which he claimed would be firmly resisted by the people of Ondo State.
“The people, having gone through excruciating seven and a half years of pains and hopelessness under the APC are now in total support of the PDP and Atiku Abubakar.
“The APC is cautioned to note that the people of Ondo State have NEVER and will NEVER be subdued or repressed by any oppressive force. The history of Ondo people is replete with stiff resistance to oppression, repression and any attempt by anybody to disrupt their normal peaceful lives.
“We, therefore, urge Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the Chief Law Officer of the state, to call his party members to order as he will be held responsible should there be any attack on PDP members or breakdown of Law and Order before, during and after the PDP presidential rally in the state,” Ologunagba stated.
