There’s no plan to rig poll, muzzle opposition, says APC

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday denied allegation it had plans to muzzle opposition political parties.Spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, told journalists at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja that the APC would adhere strictly to the tenets of democracy. 

Abdullahi was particularly reacting to claim by spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, that the Federal Government planned to arrest 50 of its members in a bid to weaken the party.

Abdullahi, who described the claim as a preemptive survival strategy, stressed that the APC would not stand in the way of effort by anti-graft agencies to bring to book members of the PDP that indulged in corrupt practices over the years.

He said: “We are a political party. We don’t arrest people.  So, if anybody has issue with people who have the power of arrest and interrogation, they should go and deal with them.

“You don’t politicise it. Our business here is winning elections. We are a political party, winning souls for the party. We don’t arrest people. So, if anybody is being arrested, it is not our business. But if you have issues with law enforcers, you should go and answer the question. So, there is nothing political about it.”

He also denied speculations that the APC was plotting to rig the November 18 Anambra governorship poll through the deployment of soldiers and other security organs. 

Abdullahi, who disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would be in Anambra State soon for the grand finale of the campaigns, said those behind the rumour were doing so because of the prospect of APC’s Tony Nwoye sweeping the poll.