The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that it would go ahead with its Presidential campaign mega rally in Abuja, irrespective of whether it gets an approval from the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Also, the campaign council berated the stoppage by the FCTA from allowing the campaign council from using the Old Parade Ground in Abuja for the event.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Kola Ologbondiyan, Director, Media & Publicity of the Campaign Organization, lamented what he called ‘Buhari’s assault on Atiku campaign’.
The present administration, he said, is manifesting the last kicks of a dying horse.
He also displayed proof of payment to the Federal Capital Territory Administration for use of the venue, earlier billed for Saturday.
He said: “It is part of the plot by the frustrated President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to drag the PDP and the people’s candidate to their low level of frustration in order to enmesh the coming election into crisis so as to achieve their self-succession bid.
“We invite the world to note that this latest assault against the people’s candidate is also borne out of direct ill-will and hatred against him by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as his handlers, who have sought all ways to drag him down, since they realized that Nigerians have reached a consensus on Atiku Abubakar, as the next President of our country.
“Atiku Abubakar, being a true democrat and statesman has decided to go with the people in their collective quest to rescue our nation from the vengeful, divisive, violent prone, insensitive, completely incompetent and inherently corrupt Buhari administration,” he said.
While warning against further attacks, the PDP Spokesperson said any assault on Atiku will attract very dire response from Nigerians.
“We therefore need to restate that the more the Buhari Presidency attacks the people’s candidate, the more his support base among Nigerians expands.
“However, any further attack on our campaign will therefore attract very dire response from Nigerians who look up to Atiku Abubakar to salvage our dear nation from the social, economic and political despondency, which President Buhari has plunged her into.
“From reports reaching us, it is not also out of place for the Buhari Presidency and the APC to use this measure to test the will of Nigerians as precursor to their rigging plots.
“We want to place on record, once again that any attempt to rig the February 16 election will be vehemently resisted by Nigerians, across board, who have reached a consensus to rescue their nation from the stranglehold of the Buhari Presidency.
“In any case, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that the PDP and the people’s candidate will definitely hold our Presidential mega rally in Abuja irrespective of any further encumbrance they may attempt to foist. Nigeria belongs to all of us and nobody can stop us from exercising our constitutionally guaranteed right of holding our rally in the FCT or any other part of our country for that matter”, he added.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
