The Peoples Democratic Party has issued a stern warning to the All Progressives Congress, urging it against taking steps which could lead to the breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.
A statement issued by the PDP in Port Harcourt signed by its Director of Publicity, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, accused the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Tonye Cole, of overheating the polity in an effort to precipitate crisis.
It therefore advised Cole quietly take his case to Election Tribunal rather than causing crisis on the streets of Port Harcourt. “We are aware that what is playing out on the streets is part of a pre-arranged plot by Pastor Tonye Cole and his sponsors to derail the transition process after they were undeniably visited across the State by the ghost of Abandoned Property.
“For days, Mr. Cole, flagbearer of the APC, has been howling in public like a rabid dog. He has repeatedly blamed INEC, the security agencies and the PDP for the woes which befell his party.
“It is clear, from what we have seen so far, that Cole is on a mission to cause needless trouble, provoke violence, incite crisis and destabilise the State, especially after he was roundly defeated by the PDP and evenly rejected at the polls by the vote of peace loving Rivers people.
“The reckless comments credited to this stranger who has talked of the existence of a Wike police have left us in shock. We are overtly amazed that such unguarded remarks are coming from a supposed gentleman who should be knowledgeable enough about the way law enforcement works.
“Accordingly, it has become necessary to ask the APC which does not have the back of Rivers people to put a stop to its campaign of calumny.
“We have nothing against any move by anyone to seek any relief through legal means allowed within the confines of our statute books. But we are opposed to any plan by any one to instigate violence, crisis and bloodshed in a peaceful State,” the PDP said in the statement. Justifying the protest embarked upon by its members, the party stated:
“The appearance of PDP supporters on the streets on Monday and our demand for the release of certified true copies of election documents has proved beyond reasonable doubt that we have all along been affected by the process put in place by INEC.
“Like the APC, we are required by law to acquire certified true copies of electoral documents in order to effectively file our defence now that it is clear that the APC is determined to fight in court.
“Our demand which has been brought before INEC officials by protesters thus proves the point that the APC has been lying brazenly about the alleged alliance with INEC and the security agencies to undermine it.
“We also warn that the Rivers people can no longer stomach the viruses that Cole and his disciples are spreading. Cole should go to the Tribunal rather than stoking crisis on the street. That is the right thing to do.”
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