The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday raised the red flag over attempts by the Federal Government, controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to allegedly turn states under the opposition party into “occupied territories.” The party, in a statement in which it decried last Friday’s invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), said PDP states were part of Nigeria and should be so treated.
It added that what it lost was the general elections and not a war.PDP, in the statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, also accused the Federal Government of planning to invade other PDP states such as Rivers, Delta, Abia and Taraba. “PDP states are not occupied territories, but part of the Nigerian nation; its members are not prisoners of war, but free citizens in a democratic state,” it added.
According to the statement, the planned invasion is in continuation of the APC’s use of the DSS to influence the activities of the election tribunals to declare its governorship candidates winners. It said: “We wish to state categorically that as citizens of this country, we can no longer continue to stomach such brazen attacks on our members and elected officials.
The PDP will, therefore, hold several leadership and stakeholders’ meetings to come up with its response to this barefaced assault on our democracy. Enough is enough!” PDP said its investigations had shown that the DSS acted on the orders from the presidency, which it accused of plotting to destabilise and forcibly take over Akwa Ibom and other PDP states. It cautioned that the invasion and other flagrant abuse of power by the Federal Government could lead to a constitutional crisis, civil unrest and anarchy. It, therefore, urged Nigerians and the international community to take note of the alleged attempts by the Federal Government to steal the PDP’s victories in some states.
The party recalled a similar action by the police, which in July, sealed local government secretariats in Rivers State and barred caretaker committees from taking charge of their administration. “If such terror can be unleashed on a state government, one can only imagine the fate of regular citizens in the hands of this administration that has continued to show unparalleled disdain for constitutional order, with heinous penchant for oppression.
“We invite Nigerians and the international community to note that never in the history of our democracy have we witnessed such a divisive government, whose actions and constitutional violations have so polarised the polity along its fault lines, while undermining national unity and cohesion, a development that spells doom for our democracy, if left unchecked,” PDP said.
