The People’s Democratic Party has condemned, in very strong terms, the violent attack on its members, including a notable leader of the PDP in Ogun State, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, journalists and other Nigerians on Monday by thugs mobilized by the All Progressives Congress to disrupt the proceedings of the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the attack by the APC was aimed at instilling fear, disrupting the proceedings of the Tribunal, creating a siege mentality on the people and the judiciary so as to truncate the delivery of justice in the petition filed by the PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, against the governorship election in favour of the APC candidate, Governor Dapo Abiodun.
“Information available to the PDP indicates that the hoodlums were mobilized by APC leaders who are in mortal fear that the APC’s manipulations and rigging in the Ogun State Governorship election will be exposed at the Tribunal.
“The attack by the APC is a direct assault on the institution of the Judiciary, the Election Tribunal and a serious threat to the sustenance of democracy in our country.
“Our party is distressed that the attack by the APC on our leaders and members, journalists and other innocent Nigerians reportedly occurred in the full glare of police operatives and other security agents, who were said to have made no attempt to arrest or stop the APC hoodlums from unleashing violence at the Tribunal. Such a scenario is an indictment on Nigeria’s security authorities which requires urgent attention,” Ologunagba stated.
He therefore called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services to direct an immediate investigation into the security lapses that might have paved way for such an unchecked attack on the institution of the judiciary and other innocent Nigerians at the premises of the Electoral Tribunal.
“Our party, standing with the people of Ogun State, demands that those behind the attack must be tracked down and brought to book immediately especially as there is ample evidence from video recordings of this shameful and dastardly action by the APC sponsored hoodlums.
“The PDP however states that the people of Ogun State and the PDP will never be deterred or cowed by the APC to give up the legitimate and constitutional pursuit for the recovery of the mandate freely given to our party and governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and nothing will change that resolve.
“Our party also calls on all our members, supporters and people of Ogun State to remain calm but at alert and ready to use every means within the ambit of the law to resist the APC in its plots to disrupt the Tribunal and subvert the course of justice in the matter,” the PDP scribe noted.
