The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, on Friday said no fewer than 50 people died during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.
He stated that no fewer than nine people were killed in a local government in Rivers State alone, adding that those killed during the elections remained martyrs of democracy.
He accused the All Progressives Congress and Muhammadu Buhari presidency of using security operatives to wreck havoc on innocent Nigerians and the electorate and engaging in anti-democratic behaviours.
Speaking in Abuja during a media conference, tagged, ‘Body bag election,’ he stated that the party would continue to expose what he called ‘the brigandage of last Saturday’s elections.’
He said, “For a regime that appears comfortable with blood, the deaths they recorded during their campaigns were not enough as after their contrived ballot box victory and stolen mandate, they still hired some hoodlums and sent them to the streets to go and kill themselves and
further inconvenience the grieving Nigerians while celebrating their electoral robbery.
He added, “The clear effect of militarising the election, particularly in the South-South and South-East in addition to the killing of the innocent electorate was the obvious suppression of voters who were either scared out or chased away.”
Secondus said that even by the record of the Independent National Electoral Commission, voter turnout in last Saturday’s election fell to about 36 per cent from 44 per cent it was in 2015.
He, however said there was larger turnout of the electorate in comparison to that of 2015.
He said the PDP had taken a decision to challenge the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission in court. He said the party had enough evidence to prove its case.
“We will go to court. Nobody will stop us from going to court and bring all of the facts both the international observers and some people have not seen. We will unearth them at the courts and I believe that justice will be done at the courts.”
He urged PDP members and supporters across the country not to despair but to remain steadfast and focused, adding that they shall triumph at the end. He said democracy had come to stay in Nigeria.
He said, “I also wish to reiterate to our security agencies particularly the Army that they are not at war with any section of her citizens and they must try to be professional in their duties by staying away from election matters as directed by the Supreme Court of the land.”
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