The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against using its planned protest to incite citizens and cause disruption in the country.
Information Nigeria had reported that the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, is set to lead party leaders, governors, and members on a protest march to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters, Abuja, over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
According to a notice released by the party on Sunday, the planned protest is expected to take off by 10am from the PDP headquarters, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja.
The opposition party also directed members planning to attend the protest to wear black as dress colour code for the demonstration.
However, Felix Morka, the national publicity secretary of the APC, reacting on Sunday to the planned protest, slammed the PDP for resorting to protest instead of focusing on the court case it filed to contest the results of the presidential election.
Morka noted it was unfortunate the PDP had to resort to a public disturbance, warning the party against instigating a crisis that is needless in the face of an election that was won by the APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said,
“On a general note, the PDP lost the election to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. That is why he is the President-elect. The PDP has indicated an interest in going to court to challenge the election. One will hope that they stick to following a lawful part in expressing whatever they may feel as a grievance in the outcome of the election.
“I am quite sure the PDP understands there are laws that govern public conduct in this country, hence the need to do nothing to instigate a crisis that is needless in the face of an election that was won by our candidate, now the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”
Similarly, the director of publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, disclosed that for as long as the protest would be peaceful, nobody would complain.
He also warned that if it turned out to be a veiled threat to the country’s democracy, the APC would respond ‘accordingly.’
He further stated,
“I think it may not necessarily be a protest. It may be a press conference. But I will suggest we allow them to protest first. Then we will see what they say in their demonstration and their conduct. If it is peaceful and democratic, there is nothing wrong with that.
“But if it turns out to be a different thing, the ruling party will react accordingly. We are democrats and we want to play the game according to the rule of democracy, which allows the minority to have a say but the majority will have their way.”
