.Says, election between Tinubu, Atiku

Omeiza Ajayi & Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Presidential Campaign Council PCC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC said it has alerted security agencies in the country to the high possibility of Labour Party LP supporters resorting to post-election violence following the defeat of their presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

According to the council, pre-election polls conducted by pro-Obi pollsters which projected him as the winner of the forthcoming presidential election were simply setting the stage for violence.

“The polls were whipping up the sentiments of Obi supporters and putting them on the tenterhooks, on a leash so that when they lose the elections, they can resort to violence.

“This is why it has alerted the security agencies to the possibility of ‘Obidients’ taking to violence after losing the election”, said Mr Dele Alake Special Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications at the PCC.

Noting that the contest is between the APC standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the APC PCC was however quick to add that Atiku would be thrashed heavily.

Alake who was speaking at the final briefing of the council before the polls, said Tuesday’s grand rally in Lagos was a fitting conclusion to an exhilarating and unique presidential campaign that started on 10 January 2022 when Tinubu announced his candidacy to the State House Press Corps after discussing his interest in the race with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tagging the activities of the pollsters as a “cocktail of nebulous opinion polls”, Alake said the polls have oscillated between the sublime and the most ridiculous.

“We want to state categorically here, that those polls will only lead to despair, despondency, utter shame and disappointment because the pollsters only took a flight of fancy.

“There is no evidence and reality on ground anywhere in Nigeria as far as the presidential election is concerned that supports Mr. Obi winning this election. Labour Party has no pathway to victory.

“This presidential election is going to be a straight contest between the candidates of APC and PDP and from more studious and rational polling, our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is coasting home to victory despite the current challenges in the implementation of the currency swap and fuel scarcity that have caused some difficulties for almost all Nigerians regardless of social and economic status.

“We particularly find amusing the ANAP/NOI and Nextier polls that projected Mr Obi as the winner or preferred candidate to win the presidential election. We have had cause to alert the security agencies to keep these pollsters under watch because their intention is to prepare grounds for unrest by giving false hopes of winning to Mr Obi’s motley crowd of supporters who have a predilection for violence with the way they bully, harass, intimidate and insult anyone who thinks differently from them”, he stated.

‘We’re ready for an election’

The APC PCC also declared its readiness for the elections, saying it has campaigned so hard and is confident of victory.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission and our armed forces, especially the police, have all declared their preparedness and readiness to ensure we have a free, fair and credible election.

“APC as a party and our campaign council are ready for the election too. We have worked so hard since INEC declared the campaign open for Presidential and National Assembly positions on September 28, 2022.

“We are certain of victory because Nigerians will elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for, he clearly stands apart from the pack and has worked so much to earn the trophy”, Alake added.