26th March, 2015
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
The vice presidential candidate of the main opposition party, All Progressive Congress (APC) Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP of being nervous ahead of the Saturday presidential election in Nigeria.
He declared that the ruling party is crying foul over the smart card readers because it will not allow them to perpetrate their best known game of “rigging”.
It would be recalled that the PDP on Wednesday alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has compromised over the smart card readers as they argued that the opposition party are in possession of the master keys of the card readers.
Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Director of Media, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, Femi Fani-Kayode accused the APC of having a close relationship with the manufacturers of the smart card readers.
He stated that the company which manufactured the cards have direct link with the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammed Buhari and some leaders of the APC.
Speaking Thursday morning on Channels TV, ‘Sunrise Daily’, the vice presidential candidate of APC declared that the ruling PDP is nervous and they should rather concentrate on how to ensure that the elections go on smoothly as the ruling government.
“They are nervous over the use of the smart card reader. What is the meaning of all what they are saying. They are saying that we are in the possession of the master keys of the card readers, why crying foul now? They always come up with different allegation and accusation but upon all these, they have been failing and they will continue to fail.
“History has shown that they always show desperation towards the election day. They are fond of witch-hunting the opposition, the proof is there for all to see. We all saw what happened in Osun, where many leaders of the APC were arrested on the eve of the election, the Ekiti saga is there too, the audio clip is an evidence for all.
“So, accusing us of being in possession of master keys is nothing but frivolous accusation. They have tried many ways and nothing good comes out of it for them. We don’t have master keys to any card readers,” Osinbajo declared.
Commenting on the level of preparedness for this election, the former Commissioner for Justice in Lagos state posited that, “it is only the INEC that can tell Nigerians how prepared they are. We are part of the game, we are having stake in the election, they are the umpire, so they know best.
“What I can just say here is that the Commission must be ready to rectify some of the lapses in the last election. Most of the lapses have to do with logistics. From materials not getting to where it should be on time to materials being diverted from where it should be taken to. All these must be looked into and dealt with accurately.
“We have no details on what they are going to do or plan to do, we can only know how prepared they are on the election day,” the APC vice presidential candidate noted.
Osnbajo however called on the federal government and the security agencies to allow level playing ground as the sole responsibility of ensuring protection of lives and property lies with them.
He urged Nigerians to be calm and devoid from any act that can cause or create violence and unrest, adding that, “this is what we have been saying and I will have to say it again, we can never achieve anything under atmosphere of violence. In all our campaigns and town halls meeting, we have been preaching this and Nigerians should adhere strictly to the electoral guidelines and not cause violence”.
The Ikenne-born legal icon turned politician urged the PDP to be transparent and just in its conduct of the election, as they are in control of all the security apparatus.
“The ruling party should allow level playing ground for all and sundry. They have stake in this election because they are contesting in it. They control all the cohesive security apparatus.
“In every part of the world, the responsibility of curtailing both pre and post election violence, rest solely on the federal government and they must be ready to ensure that lives and property of every Nigerian is protected. We pray that we never witness any bloodshed before ,during and after the election,” he submitted.