THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alleged attempts by the Federal Government to use the Department of State Service (DSS) to unduly intervene in matters before the Election Petition Tribunals.

Addressing a press conference at the party national secretariat on Wednesday, shortly after the meeting of the party’s National Working Committee, PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, stated that the PDP had discovered  that the Director-General of the DSS, Lawan Daura, ‎had invited some people in Rivers and other states  to use them to discuss such matters that were pending with the election tribunals.

The party drew the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the implication of such interventions on the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

Metuh said: “The National Working Committee of the PDP has uncovered plot by the newly-appointed DG, DSS to intervene and interfere on political issues, especially tribunal matters. In that regard, the NWC has been made aware that the new Director General of DSS has even invited some people in relation to Rivers tribunal and other states in trying to discuss such matters with tribunal members.

“The PDP alerts the national and international community that this is gross interference in democratic affairs and that it can lead to authoritarian regime. PDP decries attempts to enthrone draconian regime where security forces and other apparatus of the ruling party will decide to be influencing election matters and outcome on behalf of the ruling party.”

The PDP also raised complaints against the dissolution of duly elected local government chairmen and councillors in Katsina and Plateau States both of which are now controlled by the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

It accused the Police of aiding the “illegal dissolution” pointing out that the same Police were swift in trying to frustrate the legitimately constituted Local government care-taker committees ‎in Rivers State.

He went on: “Secondly, the PDP has raised complaints against the dissolution of validly elected local government councils in APC-controlled states of Plateau and Katsina even without court judgements.

‘‘You will recall that in Rivers where we had a valid court judgement, the police interfered and stopped the PDP from taking over control of those councils. However, in Plateau and Katsina where they did not have any court judgements a unilateral nullification of elections and dismantling of democratic structures at the local government level in Plateau and Katsina States, the police have aided and abetted them in truncating the tenures of duly-elected officers.”

Metuh also disclosed that the PDP was in the process of reconstituting its board of Trustees ‎to address vacancies created by deaths, defection and other factors.

“In response to wide-ranging allegations and calls by stakeholders from zonal and state chapters of the party, the National Working Committee is in the process of reconstituting the party’s Board of Trustees, in close consultation with critical stakeholders of the party. This exercise has become necessary owing to references of defection, deaths and passivity of some erstwhile members,” he explained.

‎  Metuh also disclosed that “the NWC has approved the conduct of a congress for ward, local government and state executive in Anambra State, starting from Tuesday, 21st of August”