APC Suffering From Pre-election Fever
– PDP
Contrary to claims that Igbo resident in
Lagos State was being attacked, the apex
Igbo socio-cultural group, the Ohanaeze
Ndigbo insists that nothing could be
farther from the truth.
In fact, the group asserted that contrary to
the claims that the fracas, which broke out
at a voters card collection centre was
targeted at persons of South-East
extraction, their businesses, security, and
peace were not in any way threatened in
the state.
The explanation notwithstanding, the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
yesterday, accused the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) of seeking to
prevent citizens in Lagos State from
registering and collecting their voters’
cards for fear of defeat in the 2023
general elections.
The President of Ohanaeze Lagos, Chief
Solomon Agunene, while debunking the
rumour said that what appeared to have
caused the rumour is the problem arising
from the collection of voters’ cards.
Aguene appealed to Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu-led’s administration to
intervene in the matter so that the Igbo in
Ojo, Ikotun, and other Lagos suburbs can
get their cards without stress at INEC
registration centres.
He recalled that at the last two general
meetings of Ohanaeze held at Calabar
Hall, Ajao Road, more than 1,500
attendees endorsed Governor Sanwo-Olu
for a second term, adding that it is only
through the acquisition of PVCs that Igbo
in Lagos can massively vote for the APC.
According to Chief Agunene, Ohanaeze,
the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation,
in its bid to sensitise Igbo in Lagos to their
civic responsibilities, made the acquisition
of PVCs mandatory for full membership of
the organisation.
He added that Sanwo-Olu has
demonstrated love and strong attachment
to Igbo people that are living in Lagos,
hence the huge support for his
administration.
“The Igbo ethnic nationality is not in
contention with any tribe,” he said,
reiterating that the harmony, cordiality
and friendliness that have existed
between the Igbo in Lagos and their
Yoruba hosts must be continually
nurtured, just as he called on the
governor and members of the public to
disregard statements, or information
purportedly issued on behalf of Igbo
people in Lagos from any individual, or
group, which does not emanate from the
office of the President of Ohanaeze Lagos,
or the secretariat at James Robertson
Street, Surulere, Lagos.
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But the National Publicity Secretary of the
PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said: “Nigerians
are disturbed by the dastardly action
instigated by leaders of All Progressives
Congress (APC) to prevent citizens,
particularly people of the South East
region that are resident in Lagos State
from collecting their Permanent Voter
Cards (PVC) to enable them to vote in the
2023 general elections.”
He claimed that: “That action by the APC
in Lagos is part of its desperate design to
use violence to sabotage free, fair and
credible elections in 2023 having realised
that Nigerians have rejected its
presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the polls.”
The PDP spokesman also alleged that
“Asiwaju Tinubu has been in morbid fear
of the soaring popularity of the PDP
presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar,
hence the attempt by the APC to stop
Nigerians from obtaining their PVCs to
vote in the elections, an action that
portends serious threat and danger to our
democratic process.”
“Is it not an irony that the party of the
government of the day that pretends to
have the support of the people and
professes continuity is busy chasing away
prospective voters?” The statement
queried, adding that the APC is already
suffering from Pre-Election Fever
Syndrome in trepidation that it cannot
win in a free, fair, credible, and
transparent process where Nigerians are
allowed to freely express their will.”