The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the directive by the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shutdown the venue for its Presidential campaign rally in Abuja billed for Saturday, as an act of desperation.
The party, however, insisted on holding the rally as scheduled stating that nothing can stop it from rallying in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This is the second time in six months that the Nigerian government would prevent the opposition from using a public facility for campaign purposes.
In August 2018, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) stopped opposition senator, Rabiu Kwankwaso from using the Eagles Square, Abuja for his Presidential declaration.
But in a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party explained that it duly paid and secured permission to host “our mega rally at the Old Parade Ground, in Garki Area of Abuja, only for the officials of the facility to inform our party this morning (Friday morning) that they have been “ordered” to shut down the venue and frustrate our mega rally for no just cause.”
According to the party “Such resort to self-help further exposes the irredeemable insensitivity of the Buhari Presidency and the APC.
“The overwhelming popularity of the peoples candidate, Atiku Abubakar, which points to an imminent crushing defeat that awaits President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16, Presidential election has pushed the Buhari Presidency into a panic mode”.
The PDP further claimed that “President Buhari has always been disheartened and jittery over spontaneous mammoth crowd of Nigerians at Atiku Abubakar’s rallies across the country, leading to the desperation to frustrate our rallies, resort to smear campaigns, vandalizing of our campaign materials and denial of venues, in APC controlled states, as was the case in Kano state recently.
“President Buhari is frustrated because he has failed in governance and as such, has no message for Nigerians. President Buhari daily continues to lose followership, in millions, to Atiku Abubakar; for which his handlers have now resorted to renting people for his rallies, including Nigerien thugs” the PDP.
It said that the “Buhari Presidency and APC would soon realize that the more they fight Atiku Abubakar, the more Nigerians are spurred to queue behind him as the rallying point in their quest to return our nation to the path of national cohesion and economic prosperity”.
The PDP charged President Buhari not to allow his handlers to further pitch him against Nigerians “with this contemptible shut down of the venue of the PDP Presidential campaign rally in Abuja, as such is a direct assault on the sensibilities and aspiration of Nigerians across the board”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
