PDP cries foul over Rivers, Akwa Ibom polls tribunal rulings

• ‘Buhari not equipped to lead in democracy’
• Governors optimistic mandates will be restored
• Umana says APC prayers will be answered
POLITICAL temperature and temperament yesterday rose a few bars as the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reacted to the Akwa Ibom and Rivers states Governorship Election Tribunal rulings which may have put the PDP at some risk of losing its gains in the two states.

Already, the PDP has cried out to its members, “supporters and lovers of democracy across the country to rise up and use all lawful means to resist anti-democratic forces, now using the judiciary and security agencies in their desperate scheme to subvert the will of the people and destroy the nation’s democracy.”

The party said though it seeks peace, it is not ready to accept the peace of a graveyard, neither is it willing to surrender the mandate freely given to it by the people in any part of the country, particularly in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Abia, Taraba and other states where it won in the last general elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh yesterday, the PDP said: “Let it be known and clearly too, that no matter the strong-arm tactics, threats and manipulations by the APC government, the PDP is not willing to and will never surrender the mandate freely given to us by the people in states where we won in the last general elections, neither are the people of those states willing to allow sectional invaders to exert influence on those to be in charge of their affairs.”

The PDP said the desperation so far exhibited by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government in manipulating sensitive agencies of state like the judiciary and the security to further its bid to take over the rich states of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Delta is totally against the spirit of democracy and peace bestowed by the PDP in conceding defeat at the Presidential election, but instead, an affront to the people and recipe for crisis in the polity.

Meanwhile, in Rivers, both parties anxiously await Tuesday’s Supreme Court judgment on the eligibility of the APC candidate, Dakuku Peterside to contest the nullified April polls.

The Guardian was told by sources in both parties that the nullification of the governorship election in Rivers notwithstanding, there is anxiety in both camps on what might be the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who has vowed to challenge the election petition, had gone to the Supreme Court to seek a determination on whether, since the APC did not adhere to the electoral guideline which stipulates that a political party must give 21 days notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission of its primaries, its governorship candidate was even qualified to contest the polls.

A top PDP source told The Guardian the tribunal judgment nullifying the polls, took the party by surprise.
The party, however, is anticipating that the Supreme Court will disqualify Peterside but that if that fails, the party will explore its appeals options and still prepare for a rerun.

The party least expected the judgment. We are still hopeful that the Supreme Court will disqualify the APC governorship. If that fails and our subsequent appeals too, we will go for fresh elections. We have considered all options before now and I must tell you we are prepared for elections. We are strategising for the rerun,” he said.

But the media aide to the Rivers State APC Chairman, Chukwuemeka Eze, told The Guardian that the party is not perturbed by the pending case, but rather preparing for the rerun of the governorship polls.
“If the PDP truly feels they won the election, there is no need to go on appeal as they are planning to do. Let us go and test our popularity because this time around there will be nobody to intimidate anyone during the conduct of the election,” he said.
Both the APC and PDP held separate church services essentially to reassure their members not to be dispirited as the both parties prepare for prolonged legal battles and eventual rerun in the weeks ahead.

Wike said it is strange for the Justice Ambrusa-led Election Petition
Tribunal to nullify his victory on the basis of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alleged infraction of its administrative guidelines on the use of card readers.

The governor in a broadcast yesterday explained that despite the woeful failure of the APC governorship candidate, Peterside, to discharge the burden of proof with respect of their contradictory allegations against of the election, the tribunal nullified the April polls for which he was declared the winner by INEC on the basis that the electoral body failed to use card readers.

Wike said he has instructed his legal team to immediately commence the appeal process and have the decision of the tribunal upturned for good. He assured his supporters and party faithful that there was no cause to panic as by virtue of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, he remains governor of Rivers State until the exhaustive conclusion of the appeal process at the Supreme Court.

Similarly, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has called on the people of the state not to be confused by the tribunal’s judgment, expressing confidence in the Nigerian judiciary in ensuring justice and fair-play in the handling of electoral matters.

He made the call while addressing a crowd of PDP supporters and stakeholders who gathered to receive him at the Globe Square, Wellington Bassey Way in solidarity with him on the judgment of the Akwa Ibom State Governorship election tribunal, at the weekend in Uyo.
“Let me tell Akwa Ibom people that we have absolute confidence in the judiciary. Nigeria operates a multi-party system and we must allow the Constitution to hold sway. Today Akwa Ibom people are focused and we are moving towards the promise land.”

In their solidarity speeches, the state PDP Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo and the Chairman Accord Party, Mr. Joe Itiaba congratulated Emmanuel for his victory which they described as ‘sacrosanct’ and ‘freely given’ while the Director General Divine Mandate 2015, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga commended the people for their solidarity with the governor.

On the other side of the divide, but also sounding optimistic, APC candidate for the governorship election in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, has commended party supporters for being resilient and steadfast in the quest for the truth, assuring them that God will answer their prayers.
Speaking at a reception held in his honour along Edet Akpan Avenue in Uyo at the weekend, Umana wondered why another governorship tribunal handing the election of Rivers State has to call for a fresh election in Rivers, when the same template of irregularities was used in Akwa Ibom State, yet only 18 local government results was cancelled in the state.
“We want a fresh re-run in 31 local government areas of the state so that our people can vote for the candidate of their choice.”

But Metuh’s statement, also strongly cautioned against any interference in the Rivers and Akwa-Ibom cases at the appeal level as well as any further intrusion in the Abia, Taraba and Delta governorship election tribunals, which the APC is already boasting of controlling.
The PDP said such would be a clear invitation to chaos in the land.
“In the last five months, after conceding defeat at the Presidential elections and other polls where we lost, Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that the PDP has remained calm and steadfast to its commitment to providing mature, decent and civil opposition with more interest on the peace, unity and corporate interest of our dear nation.

Nigerians have noted APC’s definition of credible elections wherein governorship elections in Imo, Ogun, Plateau, Lagos and Yobe are all credible while those of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Taraba and Abia are rigged and must by all means be annulled.
“In the light of the foregoing therefore, leaders of the PDP across the country are now converging on a consensus not to surrender our national destiny and fate to the whims and caprices of the sectional interests of the Daura and Bourdillon Mafia.

In the same vein, we call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed to note the looming danger and save the nation’s democracy and the institution of the judiciary by immediately checking negative actions emanating from elements operating within the office of the President of the Court of Appeal.

Finally, it has become necessary to remind all that this democracy was built on the principle of the rule of law and no political party, individual or group must be allowed to, by any means, appropriate or attempt to appropriate the will of the people at any time and under any guise whatsoever,” he said.