FG TO PDP: Don’t Throw Nigeria Into Anarchy

Do not throw Nigeria into anarchy out of your desperation to grab power at all cost ahead of the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Federal Government has warned the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed issued the warning while briefing the media in Ilorin, Kwara State, adding that Nigeria’s unity and survival override any party’s ambition.

He said, “The ongoing attempt by the PDP to discredit the results of the yet-to-be held 2019 general elections is an invitation to anarchy.

“Consistently, the PDP has been attacking the two national institutions that are most pivotal to the elections – the INEC and the police. This is part of the party’s strategy to erode confidence in the institutions, preparatory to faulting the outcome of the elections.

“We have also been calling national and international attention to this strategy by the PDP. We warned that the PDP will do everything to scuttle the polls, failing which the opposition party will work to discredit the results. The persistent accusation of planned rigging of the polls, which is not evidence-based, the not-so-subtle threat of violence issued by the PDP at its press conference on Wednesday and the setting up of the PVT are all geared to achieve one objective: discredit the election results,” Mohammed said.

He said while it is standard practice for political parties to have their own monitoring system during elections, what the PDP intends to achieve through the PVT is to set up a pseudo electoral commission that will announce its own concocted results and throw the nation into crisis.

The Minister however warned the PDP of very dire consequences, should it proceed to usurp the role of INEC.

“INEC is the only body statutorily imbued with the power to collate and announce the results of national elections. The penalties for any individual or organization that usurps these functions are clearly spelt out. It is therefore necessary to remind the PDP not to sabotage the 2019 general elections on the altar of desperation,” he said.