The PDP presidential campaign council has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to read the riot act to ministers like Festus Keyamo, accused of using taxpayers’ money and government agencies to favour presidential candidate Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates in the February 25 and March 11 elections.
The council made the call during a press conference jointly addressed by Dele Momodu (director of strategic communication), Daniel Bwala (the council’s spokesman), Phrank Shaibu (Atiku Abubakar’s special assistant on public communication) and Paul Ibe (Mr Abubakar’s special adviser media) in Abuja.
Mr Shaibu said any effort to intimidate opposition parties was an effort to interfere with the conduct of a peaceful election. He demanded the immediate sack of Mr Keyamo (junior labour minister) for alleged abuse of office and for using his official position to dabble in politics and the general elections.
“You will recall that recently a serving minister has written a letter to agencies of the government who are the same members of the executive branch of government and demanded that in 72 hours, they should prosecute the presidential candidate of PDP,” stated Mr Shaibu.
He added, “In their press conference, they bragged about their powers and control of law enforcement. He, whilst serving as a cabinet member and campaign spokesman, uses the taxpayers’ money and official privilege and powers to heavily compromise the agencies of government.”
Mr Bwala decried Mr Buhari regime’s cabinet members using their office to influence government agencies in favour of the APC.
“Members of the opposition are reported to be increasingly invited by law enforcement agencies for one question or the other in order to weaken the opposition,” he alleged. “Any effort to intimidate opposition is an effort to interfere with the conduct of a peaceful election.”
Mr Bwala also called on the anti-graft agencies to invite Mr Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate. He also alleged a threat to his life and other PDP members.
He called on domestic and international election observers, including the ECOWAS, U.S., UK, European Union, and other development partners, to look into various threats to the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections.
But, Mr Momodu said no amount of intimidation would deter the PDP from rescuing the country.
(NAN)
