By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
LAGOS — The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has expressed concern over the worsening acrimony between aspirants for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The ACN in a statement yesterday particularly lamented that the bad blood in the contest for the PDP presidential ticket had led to endless manipulation of the nation’s electoral  law leading to a development that no one is certain on the applicable electoral laws just few months to the general elections.

‘’Threats and counter threats are flying around. Words like violent change, treason and destablisation are being used freely, when all that Nigerians would like to hear are how each candidate will help turn around the fortunes of the country if elected,” the party said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

ACN said never in the history of Nigeria has there been such a bitter contest for a party’s ticket, as the nation is now witnessing between President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

ACN said both sides had crossed the line of decency in trying to outwit one another, with various nebulous groups using newspaper advertisements to splash mud and more mud on the opposing candidate.

Noting that the leadership of the PDP may have been compromised and was without moral authority or the conviction to stop the dogfight, the ACN said: ‘’Unfortunately, the desperation on both sides is not borne out of the candidates’ love for Nigeria, or how prepared they are to lead Nigeria out of the doldrums to which it has been consigned by a succession of inept leaders, especially in the last 10 years plus of democratic rule.

‘’Had these candidates been genuinely interested in taking Nigeria to greater heights, their campaign would have been dominated by issues relevant to the country’s situation, how to solve our chronic infrastructural problems, the worsening power situation and massive unemployment that is threatening the social order, just to name a few.

‘’Instead, they are expending critical energy and huge funds on mudslinging, on painting each other as either largely inexperienced and unprepared for the demands of office, or as chronically corrupt and unfit for high office,’’ the party said.

It said even far worse than this, speculations are rife that supporters of each candidate will resort to violence if their candidate does not clinch the PDP presidential ticket in January.

‘’In other words, it is either they win the ticket or the country goes down! This is a scary development that must be of concern to all Nigerians. We therefore call on all citizens to shun these candidates and their parties so that our country can at least survive. Without a country, there will be no need to fight for its leadership!’’ ACN said.