… As APC Accuses Opposition Party of Peddling Fake Results, Plotting Venezuela Option

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately announce results as delivered from the polling units and declare “the people’s candidate,” Mr Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the February 23 Presidential election

But the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) charges that the PDP is peddling fake results and plotting for the Venezuela option. “Devastated by authentic results filtering out of polling units nationwide, our usual sources within the camp of the PDP have informed us that an emergency meeting of the main opposition party has been summoned for today somewhere in Abuja.”

“Top on the agenda of the PDP is to activate the last strand of their Dubai strategies that have since collapsed like a pack of cards: they plan to release fake results of the Presidential Election later today or early Monday morning that they claim to have compiled themselves,” the party says.

A statement signed by Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, director, Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organization says, “Our position is predicated on clear and verifiable results across the nation, showing that Atiku Abubakar is in clear lead both in spread and total number of votes cast.”

“Intelligence available to us is that INEC is delaying the announcement of results following directives by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which are bent on altering the figures from the polling centers and allocate fictitious figures for President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly in northern states.”

“Curiously, INEC server is now shut down, results are no more being transmitted and the reason is to enable the APC to inflate figures from six designated states.”

“We call on international observers and election monitors to insist on a transparent process of transmission of results and the monitoring thereof.”

“We already have reports of how APC governors in the northern states have been making desperate effort to tamper with the results of the elections in their respective states with the view to award conjured votes to President Buhari.”

Explaining further, Ologbondiyan, also PDP’s national publicity secretary alleges that, “In Kogi state, Governor Yahaya Bello has been making frantic moves to change results to suit APC’s intent and purposes as against the wishes of the people, expressly delivered at the polls.”

“Nigerians already know how the Minister of Transportation and the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign, Rotimi Amaechi, used the military to hold an INEC official in River state, Mrs. Mary Efeturi, hostage and insisted that she will not be released until she alters the results in favour of President Buhari “

The PDP calls on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that in this age of Information Communication Technology, Nigerians already have the results as delivered at the polling centers and any attempt to alter any figure will be faced with vehement resistance.

“In delaying the announcement of the results, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is allowing the APC to turn him into a villain and directly pitching him against the people. He should therefore extricate himself from the rejected APC and be on the side of the people, by immediately announcing the results as already delivered at the polling units and declare, the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the winner.”

“Anything short of this is not acceptable to Nigerians, who had already expressed their wishes and aspiration at the polls,” the party says..

A statement signed by Mr Festus Keyamo, director of Strategic Communications, APC Presidential Campaign Council also called for the immediate arrest of Alhaji Buba Galadima as PDP and Atiku’s campaign perfect plans to release fake presidential results ahead of INEC and plans to mobilise hoodlums for choreographed protests.

“Devastated by authentic results filtering out of polling units nationwide, our usual sources within the camp of the PDP have informed us that an emergency meeting of the main opposition party has been summoned for today somewhere in Abuja.”

“Top on the agenda of the PDP is to activate the last strand of their Dubai strategies that have since collapsed like a pack of cards: they plan to release fake results of the Presidential Election later today or early Monday morning that they claim to have compiled themselves.”

“Our information is that they aim to create crises and confusion that will lead to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar claiming victory in a day or two from today ahead of the official announcement of the results by INEC. Then, what would follow will be some carefully choreographed protests by pockets of hoodlums in some parts of the country. The ultimate aim is to curry the sympathy of our foreign friends and push us to the Venezuela situation,” Keyamo says.

“Our call is therefore to INEC, NIGERIA BROADCASTING COMMISSION and all law-enforcement agencies to continually warn the PDP and all their surrogates like the amorphous CUPP and their likes that anyone who flouts the law on announcement of official results will be made to face the law. Opposition does not confer immunity on anyone to flout the law.”

“In preparation for this reckless move, some PDP social media agents are already flying some kites on-line as to the number of States allegedly ‘won’ by PDP. In fact, Alhaji Buba Galadima, an official spokesperson for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has made a short video announcing PDP as the ‘winner’ of the Presidential Election. As an official spokesperson, he is clearly acting on behalf of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and on his instruction. We, therefore call for the immediate arrest, interrogation and prosecution of Alhaji Buba Galadima in this regard. The world is watching and waiting on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to say something on the video by Alhaji Buba Galadima.”

“Consequently, we urge all well-meaning Nigerians, the International Community and even reasonable members of the Opposition not to be bought by these cheap antics of the PDP. Let’s restrain our wards from being used by these unscrupulous elements. Nigeria will continue to exist after this election.”

“Over the years, the PDP had been declared ‘winner’ of Presidential elections under controversial circumstances. On those occasions, President Muhammadu Buhari never took laws into his hands and declared himself President. He also never declared parallel results. He availed himself of constitutional means to address his grievance by approaching the law courts.”

“Their latest devilish plot against the country is a clear indication that their apology to the Nigerian people was just a hoax. They have learnt nothing and they have forgotten nothing as they just cannot win any election fair and square,” the APC says.

The presidential contest has been widely predicted as a two horse race between incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari running on the platform of APC and PDP’s Atiku Abubakar. Unconfirmed results have also underscored the contest as a heated race between the two leading candidates..

INEC has however advised the public to be wary of election “results’’ circulating on social media. In a message on its verified Twitter handle, @inecnigeria, on Sunday afternoon, the Commission said it was the only body constitutionally empowered to declare the results of the elections.

“It has also come to our notice that some election `results’ are circulating on the various social media platforms. Kindly disregard such ‘results’ as only INEC is constitutionally empowered to declare the outcome of the elections,’’ it said.