APC government stifling opposition, says PDP

Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Nigeria may become a one-party state, if the All Progressives Congress (APC) continues “stifling” the opposition.

In the past six months, two governors elected on the platform of the PDP — David Umahi of Ebonyi and Ben Ayade of Cross River — have defected to the APC.

Speaking on the development in an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Ologbondiyan accused the ruling APC of “harassing” members of the opposition party.

“The Peoples Democratic Party is not in distress. The unfortunate issue in which this generation has found itself, is such that when the PDP was in governance, it thrived on social justice, fairness, equity and gave abundant room to the opposition to thrive,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we have a situation on our hands as Nigerians, in which a ruling government is harassing and stifling the opposition.

“And it is that circumstances that those who are not strong, even though they are governors, are now submitted to the harassment of APC and their imagination; that is the situation in which our party has found itself.

“A situation that is ongoing in Nigeria, unless every Nigerian rises to the occasion to stop this harassment — this luring of governors to the opposition party — we might have as a people a one-party state and that would impact negatively on our democratic culture.”

Asked what are the ways in which the ruling party is harassing PDP governors, he alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used against members of the opposition party.

“There are tendencies of making fake promises of what they can help the governors to do. There are tendencies of the aides and some commissioners of the governors being picked up by the same EFCC,” Ologbondiyan said.

“We have a situation in our country; apart from harassing the aides and commissioners of the governors, EFCC is coming into the affairs of the PDP.

“The attempt is to muzzle the main opposition party. The attempt is to ensure that Nigeria is returned to a one-party state.”

Ologbondiyan’s comments come days after TheCable reported that the EFCC had summoned three senior officials of the party over a case of alleged fraud.