The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has expressed the readiness of all the party leaders to go to jail and has therefore challenged the president to come for them following what he perceived as a clampdown on opposition by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) federal government.
His declaration came at the heels of the arrest and detention of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam by the Department of State Security (DSS).
Secondus, who was speaking while leading the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to play host to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on Friday, revealed that the party has dispatched its governors to interface with the DSS over Suswam’s detention.
He added: “You cannot arrest our leaders and intimidate them. It will not work. It will be counterproductive. We will resist your manipulation of elections and we are calling on the international community to open their eyes and look into Nigeria, 200 million people.”
While urging the party’s presidential aspirants to go around the country and campaign to the people, Secondus added: “Let our people know that PDP is alive. Let the federal government know that they cannot clampdown on opposition.
“They have taken Suswam in, we’ve shouted, we’ve have sent a delegation of governors yesterday (Thursday) to meet the DG SS.”
He warned that the President must ensure there that was a free, fair and transparent general election or the country could be thrown into a crisis.
According to him, “If we have a crisis at all here, the West African coast will be covered by IDPs. They can’t accommodate them.
“So, the best Buhari can do for Nigeria for the goodwill Nigerians are giving to him, is to conduct free and fair elections because he has failed in all ramifications.
“In security, he has failed. In the economy, he has failed. In corruption matter, he has also failed. Nigerians know this. You can’t deceive the people with propaganda and lies.
“Nigerians have known that APC is a party of lies and propaganda.”
Secondus said the only way the PDP could to meet the expectations of the citizens was for the party to ensure free, fair and transparent primary elections at all levels to regain the confidence of the people.
In his remark, the former Vice President commended the NWC for the way it has run the affairs of the party so far, particularly its conduct of Ekiti primary gubernatorial election.
He affirmed that lack of transparency affected the chances of the party in the past.
Atiku said: “I believe that if sustain the feat recorded during the governorship primary in Ekiti state in other primaries that will come, this party is destined to reclaim its role and retrieve power generally through our electoral process.
“If there was anything that really affected the performance of this party, it was the way and manner primaries were conducted and how candidates were selected but with the precedent you have set, we are on our way to reclaiming power in 2019.
“This meeting is not intended for anything other than my desire to seek the presidential ticket of the party. I am here to put you on notice and I believe that I should do this before reaching out to other organs of the party. I want to thank you and look forward to working with you.
“Whether as a presidential candidate or not you can always expect me to fulfil my obligations as a loyal member.”
Among prominent personalities in the former Vice President’s entourage were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, ex-PDP national chairman, Okwesilize Nwodo; Duben Onyia, ex-Police Affairs Minister, Adamu Maina Waziri, Baraka Sani, and Aliyu Mustapha.
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