The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the judiciary and security agencies to protect their independence and resist attempts to use them against the provisions of the law.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, made the call at a news conference tagged “Matters of Urgent National Importance’’ at the party’s National Secretariat on Wednesday, in Abuja.
Ologbondiyan alleged that there was a plot to unjustly arrest PDP’s elected and appointed officials, especially the governors, leaders in the National Assembly and members of its Working Committees.
He, however, stated that the party was “more than able, willing and overtly ready’’ to use all available legal means and the principles of democracy to resist such scheme aimed at making Nigeria a one-party state.
He said that PDP would no longer allow anybody to tarnish any of its elected and appointed officials.
“The PDP is proud of all our governors, particularly, on their achievements in the delivery of democracy dividends to the people and will not allow anybody to distract them.’’
Ologbondiyan alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had commenced a major onslaught against PDP governors, opposition leaders in the National Assembly and its presidential hopefuls.
He listed these persons to include Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremmadu, Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayo Fayose.
Ologbondiyan added that there were also plots to embarrass PDP credible individuals known or perceived to be interested in contesting the 2019 Presidential election, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
He said that the PDP was not opposed to the fight against corruption, which he said was started by the party through the establishment of credible anti-corruption institutions.
“We, however, demand that prosecutions must be done in a credible, transparent, legitimate and constitutional manner.
“We will not allow the persecution of our members under the guise of the fight against corruption,’’ he said.