The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday warned the All Progressives Congress against any attempt to frame up the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over his comments on national issues.
It said it has taken note of the statement by the APC warning Atiku against making comments on the state of the nation and that his “patriotic reactions” to pressing national issues amounted to a felony.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement emphatically stated that Atiku’s comments on national issues had been patriotic and within his constitutional right of freedom of speech, not only as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but also as a former Vice President, as well as a leader and the presidential candidate of the PDP.
He said that as a responsible political party, PDP boldly stated that none of Atiku’s statements fell within the realm of felony in anyway whatsoever.
Ologbondiyan added, “However, intelligence available to the PDP largely posits that the threats against Atiku emanated from certain persons around the Buhari Presidency who are jittery that President Muhammadu Buhari’s defence is collapsing at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, for which they have become desperate to use underhand methods to stop Atiku.
The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the renewed allegations against Atiku Abubakar came after a witness told the court, as has been publicly reported, that the Army never required any enlisted officer to submit his WAEC certificate, in total contradiction to claims that Mr. President’s certificates were in the custody of the Army.
Our party counsels the APC to rather get ready for justice instead of seeking ways to frame Atiku Abubakar on flimsy and unconstitutional grounds.”
Ologbondiyan said that while the PDP was in power, it never gagged the APC and its leaders, including Buhari, from exercising their freedom of speech and freedom after speech in line with the lawc
