The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted on going to court to challenge the outcome of the just-concluded presidential election, even as it dismissed reports that it gave conditions to the National Peace Committee (NPC) to abandon the legal option.
The party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Friday also stated that unless the injustices arising from the elections are addressed, there will be no room for peace.
Secondus who spoke on the meeting between the PDP Presidential Candidate, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the party didn’t give any conditions to the committee.
He said that the committee only asked them for their grievances and told them that they will also visit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as well.
On their meeting with Peace Committee, Secondus said, “When they came, they met with us and they requested us to please state our grievances.
“There was no condition. Initially, we were not to talk with them because a decision had been taken to go to court. But because of the personalities involved, we said ok, let’s just talk.
“It was no condition. There was no request of any condition. We made it clear that unless the injustices are addressed, there is no room for peace. It is only when you address the injustice that you can now sit down for peace.
“So, whatever interpretation that was done by anybody, let it be clear to anybody that we did not give condition, they did not request for it, it was like , look, state what really happened in the election and we told them how the military took over the election and conducted the election in favour of APC and INEC collusion.”
On their insistence on going to court, he said “We will go to court. Nobody will stop us from going to court and bring all of the facts both the international observers and some people have not seen.
“We will unearth them at the courts and I believe that justice will be done at the courts. Because if we continue to suppress injustice and go sentimental, the country will continue to pile a gun powder that will explode one day.
“So much injustices have been done in this country and if we allow it and it continues to pile, nobody knows what will happen. So, that’s why we decided as good citizens and law-abiding and people who believe in rule of law that we will go to court.
“We are not going to depend on approaching the courts on the comments of observers that were threatened. They were threatened and so, what do you expect them to say? They have to go home with their lives. They were threatened and silenced.
“It is our responsibility as good citizens to bring bring this to the public and to the Nigerian people and to go to court. So, we are good to court,” he said.
The party chairman who lamented the role of the military in the course of the election, said the PDP is not at war with the military. “They should not be involved in electoral matters.”
On the endorsement of the election by foreign observers, he said there is a provision that provides for anybody who has any grieviances to go to court.
He added that the international observers might not have the information that they have so far.
However, Atiku has called for the unconditional release of all those illegally arrested and detained for political reasons. He also called for the non deployment of the military in compliance with constitutional provisions and the subsisting judgement of the court.
The PDP candidate, according to a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, stated this at the meeting between the PDP and the Abdulsalami-led committee at his residence in Abuja on Thursday.
This according to statement “Atiku Abubakar and his team reaffirmed that the presidential election of 23 February was the worst in the history of the country since the return to democracy in 1999.
“According to him, the sham election was marked by militarisation of the process, vote suppression, intimidation, and collaboration of security agencies, INEC and the ruling party to subvert the will of Nigerians.
“Ahead of the 9 March governorship and state house of assembly election, the Atiku Abubakar team called for the unconditional release of all those illegally arrested and detained for political reasons. They also called for the non deployment of the military in compliance with constitutional provisions and the subsisting judgement of the court.
“The issue of Atiku Abubakar and his party’s recourse to legitimate actions to reclaim his stolen mandate was not discussed at the meeting.
“Atiku Abubakar restates that as a democrat, he will follow laid down constitutional and democratic procedures to challenge the electoral malfeasance committed by APC in cohort with INEC.
“Atiku Abubakar further urges Nigerians to come out en masse and vote in the 9 March gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections for the PDP candidates and stay to defend their votes up to collation point,” the statement said.
The National Peace Committee was represented at the meeting which took place in his residence in Abuja by former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulasalami Abubakar (Chairman), John Cardinal Onaiyekan and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
The PDP presidential candidate was represented by himself, his Vice Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Senate President and DG of PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Secondus.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
