2019: APC committee begins onslaught on our presidential aspirants‎ – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that a Presidential Committee set up by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ‎has commenced onslaught on its leaders including some of its serving governors and presidential aspirants ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The party said no fewer than 28 cases have been filed based on trumped up charges against its leaders, claiming it was aware of “clandestine meetings between agents of the APC and some compromised judicial officers to get conviction at all cost.‎”

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, ‎Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party would not allow the “persecution” of its members under the guise of anti-graft war.

The PDP spokesman, who declined to give details about the presidential aspirants involved, however, urged the judiciary and all security agencies not to compromise their independence.

“Currently, the APC has fully commenced a major onslaught on leaders and key voices in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly our state governors, opposition leaders in the National Assembly as well as our presidential hopefuls.

“You are already aware of the numerous exposed plots by the APC and its federal government to frame up and humiliate the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as well as PDP governors, particularly, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti state counterpart, Governor Ayo Fayose.

“This is in addition to advanced plots by the federal government to clampdown on key leaders of the party and begin to drop in public places, alleged confessional statements made under duress in the desperate attempt to achieve a pre-determined end of validating the bandying of corruption allegations against members of the PDP.

“We have also been made aware of a special presidential committee put up by the APC federal government to persecute our leaders. Already, no fewer than 28 cases have been filed based on trumped up charges.

“In the same vein, we are in the know of plots to embarrass credible individuals, particularly in the PDP, known or perceived to be interested in contesting the 2019 presidential election, having realized that their party, the APC, is finally stuck with a very unpopular and rejected Presidential candidate, who can no longer command the support of Nigerians.

“We also want to bring to the attention of the international Community that in its desperate attempt to win election, the APC-led federal government is stopping at nothing, including resort to undemocratic proclivities.

“We are not opposed to the fight against corruption, which, of course, was started by our party, through the establishment of credible anti-corruption institutions. We however, demand that prosecutions must be done in a credible, transparent, legitimate and constitutional manner,” the party said.