The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State has said the fear of a crushing defeat in next year’s governorship election stares the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the face, causing it to raise false alarms and allegations against the ruling party.
Spokesman of the APC in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, stated this in a news release sent to newsmen on Saturday in reaction to claims by the PDP that its campaign posters and signage were pulled down by APC agents in the state.
Igbokwe, who described the claims as unfounded, reminded the PDP of an incident in 2014 in which mercenaries suspected to be on its payroll destroyed the campaign posters of the APC on Ikorodu road up to Funsho Williams Avenue.
While vouching for members of his party, Igbokwe cautioned them against falling into the temptation of repaying the alleged wrong done to the APC four years with a similar coin.
The statement reads: “The attention of Lagos APC has been drawn to the claim by PDP Lagos that its campaign materials are being pulled down in Lagos by people suspected to be APC Members.
“Our initial reaction when the statement was brought to our notice was to ignore the story because it is not the character of APC members to engage in acts of brigandage and political recklessness. But on a second thought, we decided to issue this statement to put the records straight and put lazy politicians in PDP on their toes.
“Lagos APC is made up of committed, disciplined and well-behaved followers who do not need to go the way of the rudderless and uncoordinated brunch known as members of PDP in Lagos and that of Nigeria as a whole. We do not need the help of anybody to thrash whatever that is remaining of PDP in Lagos if at all they still exist.
“Even though we suspect that miserable PDP followers can deliberately pull down their posters and push it to APC, we passionately appeal to all our members not to take laws into their by tampering with PDP campaign materials in the name of helping our party. You have no right to do so and you cannot do so. We do not need such help from anybody. It is undemocratic, primitive, illegal and unacceptable. Please do not bring shame to our great Party.
“It is too early for Lagos PDP to start throwing its hands up in total surrender when the game is just about to start. Morbid fear of another crushing defeat is staring them in the face and they think what we call ‘whispering in the dark’ will help the dying party to save its ugly and battered face.
“While we appeal to millions of Lagos APC members not to play into the hands of the weak and totally decimated political enemies, we are quick to remind Lagos PDP of the events of November 2014 when It worked in tandem with the Police, SURE-P, FERMA, Army, Civil Defense, and some other groups to unleash terror on Ikorodu road up to Funsho Williams Avenue and others pulling down APC Campaign materials and Billboards in the full glare of member of the public. We cannot forget this in a hurry.
“Henceforth, Lagos APC will ignore the rumours of the marketplace and the poor antics of the opposition and concentrate on the real issues-based campaigns ahead of February and March 2019 Presidential and Governorship elections. We will not continue to waste our precious gift of time to talk about a non-existing party that is at the crossroads.”
