Garba Shehu: Jonathan, PDP plot to re-enact June 12 scenario

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has observed the gathering of individuals, better dubbed – Association of Jonathan-organised National Conference Attendees – with the sole objective of truncating the general elections, particularly the February 14 presidential poll, thus preventing an embarrassing shellacking for their benefactor, President Goodluck Jonathan.
The APCPCO said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday signed by Garba Shehu, Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign that it is more galling that one of these people, with a history of armed insurrection by way of attempted military putsch against a united Nigeria, had the effrontery to offer admonition against the conduct of election, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended for the virility of the Nigerian state.
The APCPCO warned that it is possible for an undiscerning Nigerian to conflate the ostensible reasons of this group of unpatriotic zealots from their real motives.
“The ostensible reason of insecurity in some part of the country, though seemingly valid, pales into insignificance when put side by side with their real reasons. The fact of insecurity of lives and property, which has consigned a portion of the Nation state to a ragtag insurgency group, is in itself, a huge indictment of the government in failing in its primary responsibility as contemplated in Section 14 of 1999 Constitution as amended,” Shehu said.
“Should a government that has shown such insouciance to the security and welfare of the people be compensated with longer duration than contemplated by the statute book? Of course, we are aware that these unpatriotic elements are doing this piece of execrable endeavor to rebuild their stomach infrastructure that had been pulled down after the cessation of free funding following the completion of the National conference!
“We have rightly observed that this is Nigeria’s season of anomie. All shades of ill-mannered and self-centered behavior can be seen in once respected people. It is our hope that Nigerians shall not be swayed into believing them on account of their previous service.
“We want to call the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the repeated calls for the postponement of the forthcoming presidential election. We do not have any difficulty to discern that these groups are working out the script of some agents in the ruling party. We also want to call on the security agencies in the country to stop any further public parade by this outlawed group.
“Let us remind Nigerians that the power of our democracy has been tested in the past by this outlawed group during the June 12, 1993 presidential election and our democracy won and will win again. No person or any faceless group of corrupt individuals can stop an idea which time has come. Nigerians made the call for a change in the country and the will of the people must prevail in February 14.
“We do not entertain any iota of doubts in our minds that this current attempt to scuttle democracy is because of the impending defeat starring the ruling party in the face. The same individuals who scuttled democracy through the instrumentality of the ABN (Association of Better Nigeria) are at their game again. They failed in the past and they will fail again.
“The All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation had rejected and continues to reject any suggestion, proposals or insinuation to postpone the February 14 presidential election by a single day.
“Needless to say that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shown its preparedness to conduct the February elections and very necessary for all Nigerian Patriots to rally behind the Electoral body in accomplishing the onerous task of delivering a good election!
“We hereby call on Nigerians to ignore the scare mongering of these elements and remain focused on the desired change that should see to the birth of a new Nation where no man is oppressed.”