The spokesperson of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has warned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to take Nigeria into the dark past with its childish antics, even as he called on Nigerians not to be intimidated by the party’s antics.
In a statement today, Monday, reacting to PDP’s rejection of the result of the Presidential election conducted last Saturday, February 23 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Keyamo alleged that the aim of the PDP is to declare false results in the social media ”in favour of its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as the winner”.
”However, we urge our international friends, observers and patriotic Nigerians not to be deceived. Very early in the build-up to the elections, the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate embarked on a cynical plan to discredit INEC as a backup plan in the likely event of them losing the election.
”You would recall, in this respect, unsubstantiated and wild claims made by the PDP Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his cohorts that were all designed to put a question mark around INEC and damage the faith of the electorate in the democratic process.”
He congratulated the INEC domestic and foreign observers for the conduct of a peaceful free and fair election, and advised the missions not to be deceived by the PDP ”as their motive is to discredit the work of the electoral commission.
”Overall and from reports received in the Situation Room of the Election Planning and Monitoring Directorate of the All Progressives Congress from across our country, at this point it is safe to conclude that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done a good job despite the challenges and the delays experienced in some cases.”
He warned the opposition party not to play on the sensibilities of Nigerians, saying: ”this is an assault on our democracy; it is an affront to millions of Nigerians who trooped out to exercise their civic duty by voting in the elections. The PDP is, in essence, and most, unfortunately, saying that if they don’t win fairly then, they are willing to tear down the walls to get their way by hook or by crook.
”In spite of this unjustifiable and provocative stance, we are confident that the results by INEC are free and fair. Our elections have progressed over the years, and we ask that the PDP does not derail us to the dark past with its childish antics.”
The PDP earlier today, Monday said that it would not accept the outcome of the elections alleging that it did not reflect how Nigerians voted.
