· We’ll protect our votes at all cost- PDP
· They are threatened by our popularity- APC
By Sarah NEGEDU & Laraba MUREY
Ahead of the February 12 area council elections in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have been talking tough.
Candidate of the PDP in Bwari area council, Hon. John Gabaya, threw the first salvo when he warned that any attempt to tamper with election results may spark violence in the council.
Gabaya, who is also the chairman of the area council, warned that the people of Bwari will resist any attempt to be intimidated at the polls.
The chairman, who gave the warning when he received the Mandate Secretary, Area Councils Services Secretariat, Ibrahim Dantsoho, maintained that the only way he can guarantee a violence free election was for relevant agencies involved in the process to refrain from manipulating election results.
“I want to assure you that as far as Bwari is concerned, there will be peace. However, I being the chairman today, sir, one thing that will cause problem is when there will be manipulation.
“I want to pass this message to you, sir, thank God I am contesting and I am saying it to the whole world, nobody should carry my vote and give to any other person and don’t carry somebody’s vote and give to me.
“There after, I want to say this and as a message to whoever is going to conduct the elections; The armed security men shouldn’t intimidate us when we’re voting, allow us to vote. When you vote stay aside. We will rather die in Bwari than for somebody to come and deprive us of our rights. I will personally give my life for my people. What we therefore want to tell you is a promise that there will be peace when there is no compromise.”
Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in the FCT, Hon Usman Adaji, dismissed Gabaya’s threat as gimmick to whip up sentiments ahead of his impending defeat at the polls.
Adaji in a phone interview with our correspondent said the incumbent chairman is only threatened by the support of the APC candidate, Hon Haruna Shekwolo, was enjoying.
“It is obvious that the PDP candidate is threatened by the overwhelming support that the APC candidate, Hon. Shekwolo, is currently enjoying even from PDP members. “Hon. Shekwolo is a youth and a grassroots politician who has made his mark in the lives of the people and communities, and they people recognise this and are clamouring for him to take the reins of power in Bwari so he can do more for them.
“As for the chairman’s threat that there will only be peace when election results are not manipulated, I will can assure you that elections will be free and fair not just in Bwari, but across the FCT. The Chairman has forgotten that he succeeded an APC Chairman in the person of Hon. Mus Dikko, who ruled for one term, but despite being the party at the center with the FCT minister being an APC member, we allowed the people’s decision prevail. We did not use the power of incumbency to take power from him then, so why is he fretting now?”
