The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday, December 11, 2015 asked the Nigerian military to avoid the temptation of abandoning their constitutional role of securing the country to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in rigging election.
The party said the military should rather face Boko Haram and other insecurity issues in Nigeria and not aid APC in rigging elections.
Addressing journalists in his office in Abuja, the acting National Chairman of the party, Mr. Uche Secondus, said the nation’s constitution has no room for military participation in politics, adding that if the military wants to participate in politics, the constitution must be amended.
He warned that the Bayelsa State governorship election should not be manipulated as the Kogi election.
Speaking on while reviewing the conduct of the cancelled election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State Secondus alleged that the military wanted to rig the election for the APC governorship candidate.
He said they were told that security agents came with armoured vehicles, harassed and intimidated people of Southern Ijaw Local Government.
“The report that we got from Southern Ijaw was indeed alarming and discouraging. We were told that security agencies came with armoured cars, harassed and intimidated the people.
“We want to appeal to the army to face the military job and avoid anything that can brew crisis to Nigeria; we have enough to battle,” Secondus advised.
According to him, Southern Ijaw Local Government is a PDP stronghold since 1999, noting that no magic will change it overnight.
He said: “The election has been won already and the governor and the good people of Bayelsa State have spoken,” and advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to respect the will of the people.
“Nigeria today is faced with several challenges: the Boko Haram in Northeast, the challenge of Biafra, the separatist group in the South-east.
“My advise to the APC led government is that they must not do anything that will truncate our democracy. Terrorism, insecurity in our land, we have had enough. The president needs peace in all the zones to be able to rule.
“We should give peace a chance; the media must also help to find the truth. We should not destroy Nigeria with propaganda.
“We advise the security agencies especially the military to know that they are Nigerian soldiers, Nigerian Army not APC army. They must not play partisan at this levels. Their duty is to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and must be so guided. They are to protect all of us whether APC of PDP. They must not be involved in politics.
He said the PDP is already challenging the declaration of APC governorship candidate in Kogi State as winner of the election in court.
“We believe that in Kogi the judiciary will rise to the occasion and address the matter and deliver justice to our people in Kogi state. We will get justice there for the rule of law to take place over what happened in Kogi.
