– Frank accuses governors of hobnobbing with APC
The Peoples Democratic Party will hold a peaceful, civil and non-violent protest in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Monday, the party said on Saturday.
The protest according to the party, is to express its displeasure with the Supreme Court, which on January 14, 2020 nullified the electoral victory of the Imo State PDP governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, in the March 2019 election. The apex court also held that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was the duly elected governor and, therefore, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Ihedioha and issue a new one to Uzodinma.
PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Col Austin Akobundu (rtd), said in a statement that the protest was approved by the PDP National Working Committee and directed by the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus.
He explained that the planned protest would be for the party to register its displeasure against the apex court’s judgement and the current state of affairs in Nigeria, adding that the action would begin at the party’s complex, popularly called Legacy House at Maitama, Abuja by 9.00 am.
“In line with the approval of the National Executive Committee of our great party, the National Chairman has directed that a peaceful, civil and non-violent protest be organized in the FCT to register the displeasure of the party against the current state of affairs in the country, especially the miscarriages of justice of the Supreme Court against the lawfully elected Governor of Imo.
“This is a clarion call to all lovers of democracy as we join hands to save our dear nation!!!
“God Bless The Peoples Democratic Party. God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, a former deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Timi Frank, has predicted that PDP’s planned nationwide action to protest the Supreme Court ruling that sacked former Imo governor, Emeka Ihedioha, will fail.
In a statement on Saturday, Frank said PDP’s move was too little, too late because the party failed to protest when it mattered most such, especially when former chief justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was removed from office and Supreme Court ruled against the opposition’s candidate Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election appeal.
“PDP’s planned protest is medicine after death,” Frank submitted.
According to Frank, PDP is also bedevilled by anti-party activities among its top executives such as governors.
Apart from Rivers and Benue governors Nyesom Wike and Samuel Ortom, the outspoken Bayelsa-born politician accused PDP governors of lobbying the presidency for goodies despite being in opposition.
He also faulted the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who is currently on a trip with President Muhammadu Buhari London, for making such a move at a time his party needed him the most at home for protest against the Ihedioha ruling.
He accused about 14 of the current PDP governors of working against the party’s interests.
“Apart from the governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike and sometimes, the Benue state governor Samuel Ortom, other PDP governors are PDP by the day and APC by night; they fraternize with the APC thereby rendering PDP incapacitated and unable to function properly and cannot play the role of effective opposition.”
Recently, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi was recently quoted as declaring that he is both a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Butthe governor has since denied saying exactly those words.
At the recent NEC meeting in Abuja, 12 PDP were conspicuously absent.
Though there are currently 15 governors elected on the platform of the PDP, only the Governors Aminu Tambuwal , Ahmed Fintiri and Bello Mutawalle of Sokoto, Adamawa and Zamfara states, as well as Ihedioha, attended the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, PDP’s presidential candidate in the last general elections, Abubakar Atiku charged the leaders of the party not to take what is happening in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), police and the judiciary, especially as it concerns elections in the country for granted.
The former Vice President noted that it has become imperative for the opposition party to mobilise Nigerians to resist alleged threat to democracy, unity and development of the country by the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC).
He noted that PDP administration governed the country well from 1999 to 2015 and handed over to the APC, with hopes that they will entrench democracy in the country.
According to him, “Our government governed very well from 1999 up to 2015. As true democrats, we conceded power to the opposition hoping it will further entrench our democracy development and unity but alas Nigerians have been proved wrong by the governing APC.
“It is has become necessary for us to mobilise Nigerians to resist the threat to our democracy, unity and development. Therefore, I will like to propose a strong committee to review the last elections and recommend to the party needed reforms to address the challenges “But what cannot wait is that we should not take what has been happening in our democratic processes from the role of INEC, role of security agencies and the judiciary for granted. If we take all these roles for granted that will be the end of our hard earned freedom and the struggle of our founding members who are today not alive.
“What can we say we have done to their struggles as they lay in their graves. Therefore, as long as we are alive it is our responsibility to reincarnate the struggle they led that brought about the democracy today that the APC government is threatening.”
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the opposition party will deploy all constitutional means including civil disobedience to compel the government to respect the rule of law.
