2019: What Buhari, APC are plotting to do other presidential candidates – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday alleged that the All
Progressives Congress, APC, and President Muhammadu Buhari are
plotting to "foist a one-party state".

PDP said the plot was aimed at pushing a "self succession" for Buhari
"seeing that their chances of winning the presidential election gets
slimmer by the day."

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, spokesperson of the PDP,
Kola Ologbondiyan also claimed that the Presidency was plotting to
arrest those wishing to contest for the presidency.

According to Ologbondiyan, "Our dear nation is now passing through her
darkest hours. Our constitutional democracy is under severe attack.
Agents of fascism are on the prowl. As we speak, Nigeria, as a nation
is being pushed to the brinks and personal freedom of citizens under
our constitution is no longer guaranteed.

"Today, in our country, there is an orchestrated plan by the ruling
All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to use the state
apparatus of power to coerce, emasculate and effectively decapitate
opposition and other dissenting voices, foist a one-party state and
push a self-succession bid for President Muhammadu Buhari, seeing that
their chances of winning the presidential election gets slimmer by the
day.

"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 Ekweremmadu, 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. Also
we are privy to series of clandestine meetings between agents of the
APC and some compromised judicial officers to get conviction at all
cost.

"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."

The PDP spokesperson alleged that the APC in a desperate attempt to
win election, "is stopping at nothing, including resort to
undemocratic proclivities."

He said, "The world is already aware of the unrelenting Gestapo style
of persecution, arrests, detention and trial of opposition members as
well as perceived opponents of the government, including innocent
business concerns, under the guise of war against corruption.

"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. We will not allow the persecution of our members under the
guise of the fight against corruption."