2023: PDP Has Already Conceded Defeat, Says APC

Adedayo Akinwale

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the unfounded allegations made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the procurement of e-voting machines by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and plans to rig the 2023 elections were a clear testimony that the PDP had already conceded defeat long before the 2023 electioneering process began.

National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement issued yesterday said the PDP in its desperate bid to remain in public reckoning had recently resorted to many diversionary activities.

According to him, the idle conspiracies and wild allegations being bandied by the PDP on the procurement of e-voting machines and plans to rig the 2023 elections, were clear testimony that the PDP had already conceded election defeat long before the 2023 electioneering process.

Akpanudoedehe noted that the PDP was clearly unsettled and afraid of the APC widespread popularity, hence, PDP’s imaginary, baseless and concocted allegations of a plan to rig the 2023 elections.

He noted that the ruling party would not learn the PDP bad habits on election fraud.

“In its desperate bid to remain in public reckoning, the PDP has recently resorted to many diversionary activities, including the recent misguided court case instituted against the national caretaker leadership of the APC, which has been generally dismissed as an abuse of court process. The PDP has now issued an irrational and baseless statement on imagined plans to rig the 2023 general elections,” he said.

On the part of the APC, he said there was no need to rig any election, because the electoral choice has already been made by Nigerians, who continue to vote for the APC, adding that the latest victory being the by-election for the House of Representatives seat for the Lere Federal Constituency in Kaduna state.

Akpanudoedehe stressed that going by PDP’s past and current antecedents, it was obvious that Nigerians would continue to reject the party.

“PDP’s rejection is further reinforced by APC’s widely accepted and hugely successful membership registration exercise, which has recorded APC membership strength at over 40 million. The gale of defections by PDP members and leaders to the APC has left the failed opposition party in a comatose state, rendering it incapable of matching the APC in a free, fair and transparent electoral contest.”

The secretary said the rudderless leadership of the PDP leadership has undoubtedly brought the failed opposition party to its knees permanently.

He said under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government, the credibility of elections has continued to improve and assured the people that the APC would continue to support constitutionally-permitted innovations by INEC to ensure the sanctity of votes and the entire electioneering process.