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AC decries harassment of supporters at election tribunals

Saturday, 22 September 2007

PRESS RELEASE

The Action Congress (AC) has decried the growing pattern of harassment of its supporters at the various elections tribunals nationwide by the PDP, and called on the security agencies to act fast to prevent a breakdown of law and order that could result if the trend is not checked.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the use of forensic machines to verify ballot papers was at the root of most of the problems, especially in Ekiti State where PDP supporters mobilized to attack AC members Wednesday, just to prevent the forensic verification of the ballot papers as ordered by the tribunal.

“Ironically, the PDP turned around to accuse AC supporters of causing trouble, without caring that all right-thinking people will wonder how the AC can disrupt its own verification exercise,” AC said.

It said similar attacks had been perpetrated against AC supporters in Osun, Taraba, Kogi and Akwa Ibom, just to mention a few states.

“In Osun, PDP thugs have colluded with the police to persecute anyone linked to the AC, with the effect that most of our leaders in the state are in unlawful detention where the state government has confined them with the help of the magistrate courts,” the party said.

AC said the PDP is aware that the forensic verification of ballot papers will expose the massive rigging and other electoral fraud it carried out across the country during the last elections, hence has decided to prevent such verification by using violence.

The party wondered how President Umaru Yar’Adua can claim to be running a government that believes in the rule of law, when his party has engaged thugs to make the work of the various tribunals impossible, out of the fear that their shenanigans will be exposed.

“Those who ambush justice cannot be said to believe in the rule of law. Therefore, the President must urgently call his desperate party officials to order so they can stop hiring thugs to disrupt proceedings at the tribunals.

“The AC has demonstrated times without number that it is a staunch believer in the rule of law. We have opted to challenge the massive manipulation of the last elections in court instead of resorting to demonstrations or violence, yet we are not being given any respite by the master riggers.

“We appeal to the authorities, especially the security agencies, to provide enough security to enable the tribunals do their work and to protect all our supporters from continuous harassment and intimidation by PDP thugs,” AC said

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary (AC)
Abuja, 21st Sept 2007

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