The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prove to the world that the administration is fighting corruption.
While PDP raised the alarm that APC had been relying on what he described as ‘unorthodox’ means to get the governorship of the Bayelsa State, the party said the only way APC could convince the world that had been fighting corruption was by arresting its deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, who gave false information to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that led to their sack by the Supreme Court.
The National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said in a statement made available to The NEXT EDITION, that APC must know that the case against Degi-Eremienyo, who was the running mate of the party governorship candidate, David Lyon, must also be investigated by the police and other security agencies.
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court had about two weeks ago, nullified the Certificate of Return issued to the Bayelsa State APC governorship candidate, Lyon and his running mate, Degi-Eremienyo.
The apex court, however, ordered the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the governorship election declared by INEC to be sworn in as their replacements.
INEC, after studying the judgment, declared the PDP candidate, Senator Douyle Diri and his running mate, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as winners of the election.
Though the APC had returned to court to seek a review of the case, the PDP alleged that rather than seek a review, the ruling party must first ask that its disqualified deputy governorship candidate be investigated and punished for the alleged forgery.
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Secondus alleged that the APC was known for always leaving the substance of issues and pandering over non-issues.
He said: “The APC is employing many tactics to get what they have lost back. They are busy addressing press conferences. They have refused to ask questions from its candidate on why he is bearing many names in his certificates.
“How does a person bear three different names at three different occasions? You answer a name in primary school, dropped it while writing WAEC exams and took up another name in the university?
“In a sane clime, the party would first of all invite the aspirant, question him, scold him for bringing the name of the party into disrepute and condemn him.
“What else do you do? You then invite the security agencies to probe him, or even take him to court to show to the world that you are not fighting corruption by the words of mouth of persecution of the opposition members alone, but by using the big stick against the offending member of your party.
“We want to warn the APC not to set the Niger Delta region on fire with its actions and clandestine moves on Bayelsa. The state had always been a PDP state, including the entire region of South-South.
“They should not use any other means on Bayelsa State. We relied on the law and their Lordships had spoken. They should allow the sleeping dog lie.”
Secondus appealed to the people of the state to remain calm, saying the governor would not discriminate against anyone, adding that Diri would be everyone’s governor.
