The All Progressives Congress, APC has berated the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the planned protest over the victory of the APC in the just concluded presidential election.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar is led a massive protest against the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Abuja.
The protest which kicked off from the party secretariat popularly called Wadata House located at Maitama in Abuja is being attended by large party supporters to express their dissatisfaction against the election believed to be rigged in favour of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
But the protesters were checkmated by the security personnel deployed to the venue to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the party, and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP vice-presidential candidate, led other party stalwarts and members in the protest.
The party has kicked against the conduct of the presidential election and the electoral umpire’s proclamation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner.
According to a notice issued by the PDP Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of Administration, Ibrahim Bashir, the demonstration would begin at 10 a.m. at the Legacy House in the Maitama area.
However, while reacting to the statement the chief spokesman for the APC presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo in a post on his verified Twitter handle condemned the protest.
He said; “I understand PDP is planning a protest. Question: are they also protesting that LP rigged in the areas where LP won? Are they saying @officialABAT should not have won the South West? Are they calling for cancellation of areas they won in the North? What really are they saying?”
Also, another chieftain of the APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, accused the PDP of trying to incite and destabilise Nigeria with their protest.
Fani-Kayode who made this known on Monday in a Twitter post said the APC was ready for what the PDP was preparing to do.
“The PDP’s protest march scheduled for tomorrow in Abuja is a dangerous precursor to something more sinister.
“They wish to incite the people & destabilise the nation. The security agencies should take note & stop this nonsense before things get out of hand & people are killed.
“How can you be in court and be protesting in the streets at the same time? @officialABAT has extended his hand in good faith for peace. He has invited them to the table of fellowship and leadership but in their destructive wrath and blind rage they have rejected it.
“We lose no sleep over their childish tantrums and empty threats. Whatever they are planning we are ready for them.
“Make no mistake about it: whatever it takes and whether it be in the street, the courts or elsewhere, we WILL defend our mandate,” Fani Kayode wrote.
Meanwhile, armed security operatives including Nigerian police and the Department of State Security (DSS) have been deployed to maintain law and order.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards read; Our Vote Must Count; We Say No Injustice and Fraud; Democracy Under Threat In Nigeria; Save Our Democracy From INEC among others.
