The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) claim that it (PDP) won the 2019 presidential poll by a difference of 1.6 million votes as “utterly ridiculous.”
It would be recalled that the PDP had and its presidential candidate in the election, Mr. Atiku Abubakar, had filed a petition at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja challenging the declaration of the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election February 23 presidential election.
Documents filed by the defendants show that the PDP polled a total of 18,356,732 votes to defeat Buhari who got 16,741,430 votes whereas INEC had on February 27, 2019 declared that Buhari won the election with 15,191,847 votes to defeat Atiku who polled 11,262,978 votes.
The PDP said INEC’s server shows “we beat Buhari with 1.6 million votes.”
But the APC said the figure brandished by the as emanating from the server of INEC was an indication that the opposition party is up for some dastard activities that are targeted at jeopardising the INEC database and internal storage system.
Spokesman for the party, Mr. Lanre Isa-Onilu said in a statement yesterday the PDP was bent on discredit the credible presidential electoral process, which, according to him, was acknowledged by local and international observers.
He added that with the manner the PDP was brandishing figures allegedly obtained from INEC’s server, it would be necessary for INEC and security agencies to be on alert.
“We call on the INEC and the security agencies to be on red alert to ensure that Atiku and the other desperate characters in the PDP are not able to execute their evil plans,” he said.
He said described Atiku’s prayers before the election tribunal, “hollow” adding that the most ridiculous is his claim that the server of the INEC indicated he won the presidential election by 1.6 million votes.
The party also said as far as it is concerned the vast majority of Nigerians had reaffirmed their unshaken belief in President Buhari to continue to steer the affairs of the country for another four years.
“We have watched in disbelief and utter amusement how the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have engaged in series of circus shows to cheer up their crestfallen and disillusioned members.
“While the APC is not oblivious of the PDP’s antics to discredit the credible presidential electoral process, acknowledged by local and international observers, we sympathise with Atiku for the crushing defeat handed him by President Buhari through the votes of Nigerians
“Most importantly, we note Atiku’s consistent reference to the INEC server as if he is the custodian of that platform. Indeed, Atiku’s constant reference to the INEC’s server should raise concerns as it is becoming apparent that he and the PDP are up for some dastard activities that are targeted at jeopardising the INEC database and internal storage system.
“We recall the widespread reported cases of several programmed card readers that were retrieved from some PDP agents and their failed attempt to hack the INEC’s database in the lead up to the then postponed presidential election.”
APC added that judging by Atiku and PDP’s recent utterances and actions, “it is now clear that they have slipped into severe depression and post-defeat hallucination that have left many Nigerians questioning their current state of mind.’’
On the threat by the PDP to approach the court to stop Buahri’s inauguration on May 29, Issa-Onilu said the PDP was at liberty to exercise its fundamental right.
It would be recalled that one of the APC governors, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar of Bauchi State, had obtained a court injunction stopping INEC from continuing with the collation of the results of the governorship election in the state.
Consequently, the PDP said it might as well he PDP said junction stopping tnor of Bauchi State, Mr. i’nner of the February 23 presidential election.do a similar thing by going to court to halt Buhari’s inauguration.
Isa-Onilu said it was up to the PDP to carry out their threat and see if the court would grant their plea.
“It is within their right to go to the court and it is up to the court to consider the merit of their case. We don’t see that as a big deal that they should be going back and forth on,” the APC said.
On the claim that APC is employing court injunctions to scuttle INEC’s result collation, the party’s spokesman said there was nothing wrong in their members going to the courts to ventilate their grievances.
“It is within our right to go to court and it is also within the right of the PDP to go to the same court if it feels aggrieved. At the same time, it is also within the responsibility and mandate of the court to consider the merit or otherwise of the case and issue judgment.
“I don’t think the PDP’s threat is a big deal, if they are worried about our going to court, what other option would they recommend? Any time we feel that we should use the judiciary to stop anybody from encroaching on our rights, we will go to court,” he said.
With ThisDay report
