ABUJA: Governors elected on the platform of the peoples democratic party(PDP have accused the Federal Government of intimidation and anti-democratic conduct during the August 9 by-elections held across the country.
The governors, under the PDP Governors’ Forum, alleged that the exercise was marred by irregularities, vote-buying, violence, and what they described as excessive militarization of the polls.
The by-elections were conducted to fill vacant senatorial and House of Representatives seats following deaths and resignations of former occupants.
At the end of the elections, the (All Progressives Congress APC) secured victories in 12 constituencies, the PDP managed just one, while the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won two and one seats respectively.
Opposition parties, including the PDP, NNPP, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the results, accusing the APC of using federal power to manipulate outcomes in several states.
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In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Gusau, Zamfara State, on Saturday, the PDP governors condemned what they termed the over-militarization of the elections.
The Forum condemns the over-militarization of last Saturday’s by-elections characterized by widespread irregularities, vote-buying and violence, and calls on Nigerians to be more circumspect in protecting their votes, the statement read.
The governors further accused the APC-led Federal Government of “untold anti-democratic actions” and praised PDP supporters nationwide for their resilience despite alleged intimidation.
They insisted that orchestrated defections and electoral manipulation would not weaken the party’s appeal, adding that Nigerians still yearned for affordable living and relative security experienced under past PDP governments.
But the Presidency dismissed the allegations as baseless and an attempt by the opposition to explain away its defeat.
Speaking with Rapidospace News, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said: What anti-democratic actions and intimidation are they talking about? You contested an election, and you lost.
Instead of admitting failure, they are making excuses. There is nothing undemocratic in the posture of this government.
Ajayi maintained that opposition candidates campaigned freely and were protected by security agencies during the polls, stressing that a strong opposition was necessary for a thriving democracy.
Similarly, Chairman of the APC Forum in North-Central, Saleh Zazzaga, dismissed the PDP governors’ complaints, describing them as irrelevant.
According to him, the outcome of the elections reflected the confidence Nigerians had in President Bola Tinubu and the APC.
Is there any PDP again? Which faction of the PDP? They are divided. So, we don’t take them seriously. The results show we are firmly on ground, and it is a signal of what will happen in 2027, Zazzaga said.
He pointed to APC victories in Kano, Kogi and Zamfara as proof of the ruling party’s dominance, while insisting that the governors’ forum did not represent the highest decision-making body of the PDP.
The Presidency reiterated that it remained focused on stabilising the economy and would not be distracted by “falsehood and excuses” from the opposition.
