*Says APC jittery over Atiku’s imminent victory
*Commends Buhari’s broadcast on naira scarcity, free election
Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youths, to resist alleged attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to derail democracy in Nigeria by taking advantage of suffering Nigerians to disrupt the process of the general election.
The PDP also commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s restated commitment to delivering a free, fair and credible election as well ensuring that the old naira notes stashed away by unscrupulous politicians were not used for ‘vote-buying’ during the general election.
Spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Charles Aniagwu, stated this at a media conference in Asaba on Thursday.
Flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, the spokesman stressed that the PDP was in support of Mr President’s directive to the CBN to recirculate the old N200 notes till April 10 in order to ease the suffering of Nigerians on account of the scarcity of the redesigned currency.
Aniagwu, who observed that the APC had resorted to mounting pressure on Buhari on the issue of new currency notes and his insistence on credible election, said, “We must agree with the president that we appreciate the things that Nigerians are going through on account of the scarcity of the redesigned Naira notes.
“We believe that it is important that the CBN takes steps to further ameliorate what the masses are going through. And, what the President did today is a pointer that government is desirous of solving the challenges being experienced by very credible Nigerians as they approach the banks for their monies.
“The decision of the president that authorises the release of the old N200 naira notes into the economy in order to reduce the sufferings of people, is a welcome development.
“We also agree that it is important to take steps to curb corruption, issues of vote-buying and that of insecurity, which has been a major problem. So, this policy, to a large extent, has addressed those issues.
“We do hope that the suffering Nigerians are going through will be mitigated by this directive that Mr. President has given the CBN to release the old N200 naira notes until the 10th of April.”
While appealing for calm and patience to allow the CBN implement the president’s directive so as to significantlty ameliorate their suffering, Aniagwu further said, “We want to plead with our people to exercise patient with the government because we have it on intelligence that members of the APC, both in the state and at the national level, are trying to take advantage of the pains in the minds of Nigerians to trigger some form of crisis with a view to derailing the upcoming election.
“What you saw happening in a number of places does not show the real pains in the minds of Nigerians, who have demonstrated understanding with the government’s policy. You have seen what happened in Warri and Udu areas of Delta yesterday. Some were burning billboards and shops. The question is, do we keep the redesigned naira notes on bill boards or in those local shops?
“So it not proper for us to inflict pains on our fellow Nigerians. Therefore, it tells you that this protest is coming from somewhere with a view to creating crisis.
“Secondly, our brothers and sisters work in these bank branches and earn monies from the banks. So, when you burn down these banks, you are also causing pains for this our brothers who are going to lose their jobs on the account that the bank branch where they work is destroyed or closed.
“So, we are pleading to Deltans and other Nigerians to please not to fall prey to the antics of those who know that they would lose this election and want to cause mayhem and thereby undermine the election.”
