The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for an investigation by the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) into the recent attack at the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal in Isabo, Abeokuta.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the PDP strongly condemned the violent assault on its members, including Otunba Segun Sowunmi, the party’s leader in Ogun State, as well as journalists and other individuals present at the tribunal.
The party alleged that the attackers were mobilised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in an attempt to disrupt the proceedings.
According to the PDP, the motive behind the attack was to instil fear, disrupt the tribunal proceedings, and create a sense of siege on both the people and the judiciary, ultimately aiming to obstruct justice in the petition filed by the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu.
The PDP also claims that the Ogun State governorship election was rigged in favour of the APC candidate, Governor Dapo Abiodun.
In a statement issued by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, it was revealed that the party had received information suggesting that the hoodlums responsible for the attack were mobilised by APC leaders who feared that their manipulations and rigging would be exposed during the tribunal proceedings.
The party said, “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 scenario is indicting on Nigeria’s security authorities which requires urgent attention.”
The PDP has called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to initiate an immediate investigation into the security lapses that allowed the unchecked attack on the judiciary and innocent Nigerians at the election tribunal premises.
The party insists that those responsible for the attack must be identified and brought to justice swiftly, as there is ample evidence from video recordings documenting the APC-sponsored hoodlums’ disgraceful and cowardly actions.
“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, Hon. 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 party said.
