PDP loves violence; APC launching unprovoked attacks, Nigeria’s major parties trade blames
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi have exchanged brickbats over pre-election violence.
The PDP stated on Friday in Lokoja that the APC was responsible for Thursday’s destruction of its properties and those of its members in the Ofu council area. In a swift response, the APC dismissed the claim, saying the PDP has violence as its hallmark.
Yomi Awoniyi, the director-general of PDP’s presidential campaign council in Kogi, decried the resurgence of attacks on its members in a statement by Austyn Ochu, spokesman for the PCC in Kogi.
“We were taken aback on Jan. 26 by an unrestrained attack on PDP chieftains and destruction of their properties by suspected members of the APC in Ofu local government area of the state,” said the PDP statement. “The unprovoked attacks in three communities of Ajaka, Ejule and Aloma were masterminded by a House of Representatives member and suspected thugs of the ruling APC as a test run of the pre-election violence.”
It added, “This is aimed at intimidating members of the opposition PDP, which is already well-positioned to win Kogi for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the February 25 presidential election. The attack on PDP members and wanton destruction of properties in the three communities give credence to the fear expressed by the PCC in the past.”
The PDP had requested “in the past that Kogi be placed on the radar of security agencies as a black spot in the march towards the presidential election.”
Responding, Kingsley Fanwo, member of the APC presidential campaign council in Kogi and information commissioner, debunked the claims by the PDP, describing it as “the figment of its imagination.”
“It will interest you to know that violence is the stock-in-trade of the PDP even when they were in power back then. As APC-led administration, we came and changed the narratives, and there’s relative peace across Kogi compared to the PDP days,” Mr Fanwo said.
According to him, maintaining peace and ensuring credible elections is paramount to Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.
