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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has decried the violence, harassment, brutalization against its members in the Abraka, Uvwie and Ughelli/Orogun axis of Delta Central Senatorial District.

Calling attention to the unprovoked attacks, the State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza said the party noted in the areas concerned that the attacks on its members were deliberate and believed to be carried out by the agents and loyalists of two prominent political figures, who incidentally belong to the opposition, All Progressive Congress, APC in the State.

Osuoza stated: “This is quite unfortunate, given the negative leadership, mentorship and instruction they are passing on to their followers, as we have not forgotten so soon, the association of Delta State to the unsavory assault and brigandage inflicted on the National Assembly and the embarrassing disrespect and disgraceful handling of the National Assembly Mace, which is the sacred symbol of our democracy.”

The PDP condemned the arrests and incarceration of its members by law enforcement agencies, the PDP urged the Security Agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be, neutral and provide a level playing field for all political parties.

Find below the full text of the PDP statement.

PRESS STATEMENT

05th February, 2019

DELTA PDP DECRIES UNPROVOKED VIOLENCE, HARASSMENT AGAINST ITS MEMBERS DURING CAMPAIGNS
•••Cautions Security Agencies, INEC To Eschew Discrimination, Ensure Level Playing Field For All Political Parties.

The attention of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been drawn to unprovoked acts of violence, harassment, intimidation, and brutalization meted to honest, peaceful, law-abiding Deltans, performing their civic responsibilities of campaigning for their political party PDP in the forthcoming elections.

We have particularly noted with great concern, the deliberate and unbridled attacks on our members, predominantly in Abraka, Uvwie and Ughelli/Orogun axis of Delta State, by persons strongly suspected to be agents and loyalists of two prominent political figures, who incidentally belong to the opposition, All Progressive Congress, APC in the State.

This is quite unfortunate, given the negative leadership, mentorship and instruction they are passing on to their followers, as we have not forgotten so soon, the association of Delta State to the unsavory assault and brigandage inflicted on the National Assembly and the embarrassing disrespect and disgraceful handling of the National Assembly Mace, which is the sacred symbol of our democracy.

We further decry the subsequent and irrational arrests and incarceration of our members by law enforcement agencies, which we consider as random acts of intimidation and coercion, deliberately visited on loyalists of the PDP in these remaining days leading up to the general elections.

The Delta PDP is well aware of the confusion and fragmentation in the ranks and camps of the opposition party, all of which have increased their apoplectic disposition heightened by founded fears of the monumental humiliation that is awaiting them in the 2019 elections.

We strongly believe that it is this fear of looming defeat and irreversible loss that has prompted and propelled those who believe themselves to be untouchable warlords and arrogant, uncontrollable dictators in their domains, to unleash this disruptive reign of terror and brutality on innocent Deltans who are proudly flying the flag of the PDP and standing up against the political tyranny and symbolic brigandage in Abraka, Uvwie and the Ughelli/Orogun axis.

Let us state boldly and categorically that as a responsible and responsive political party, the PDP has carried out all its activities in full compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and due observance to the stipulated guidelines of the electoral process enshrined in the electoral law.

We are therefore disturbed by these obvious acts of unsolicited provocation on our members and we call on the law enforcement agencies to live up to their own responsibilities of neutrality in handling political matters, thread with caution and desist from engaging in acts that may send the wrong signals to the people and thus jeopardize the smooth delivery of the 2019 elections in Delta State.

We also wish to use this medium to urge the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to ensure a level playing field and a free, fair, credible and transparent process for all political parties in every area of Delta State, during the 2019 general elections.

Delta State PDP has exhibited beyond doubt, with our recently concluded comprehensive and overwhelmingly successful campaigns across all the geopolitical zones in the State, that we are not only ready and fully prepared for the 2019 elections, we are also poised more than ever before, to win the elections convincingly across the board.

We urge our candidates and members in these hostile areas, to remain calm and mature in the face of these diversionary provocations and go about their campaigns with the same zeal, commitment, and dynamism which have hallmarked all our campaigns so far.

We also call on all eligible and qualified Deltans, who are yet to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs to do so before February 8, 2019, which is the last day of collection. And to those who have collected, we charge you to hold on firmly to your PVCs, go out on election days to vote for PDP candidates and ensure that you guard your votes with courage and bravery in order to prevent any manipulations, which will impose more slavery and suffering on you, instead of the prosperity for all Deltans which the PDP stands for.

We have said it before and we will say it again: PDP is Delta and Delta State is PDP. No amount of intimidation, harassment or manipulation will change that in 2019.

Long Live PDP!

God Bless Delta State!!

Dr. Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza
State Publicity Secretary,
PDP, Delta State.