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Smaller parties demanding money to endorse Buhari, Oshiomhole alleges

By Adamu Abuh, Abuja
20 December 2018   |   4:13 am
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has revealed that smaller political parties were demanding money to endorse President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection bid next year. Oshiomhole, who spoke yesterday in Abuja during a courtesy visit on the National Working Committee (NWC) by the International Republican Institution (IRI), described such parties as ‘democratic…

[FILE PHOTO] Buhari

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has revealed that smaller political parties were demanding money to endorse President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection bid next year.

Oshiomhole, who spoke yesterday in Abuja during a courtesy visit on the National Working Committee (NWC) by the International Republican Institution (IRI), described such parties as ‘democratic merchants.’

Although he declined to mention the specific parties, he challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a debate over sundry allegations it leveled against the APC.

He faulted insinuations that the APC-led administration was using state apparatuses against the opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.

His words: “More worrisome is that people form political parties and gang up that they are not producing candidates, that the are supporting a particular candidate. We have several requests from political parties to pay them to support our candidate.

“So, people have formed political parties for trading. We don’t need to focus on them to create democratic merchants, confusion and generate more heat.”

Oshiomhole, who also challenged PDP to a debate on some of the allegations, said: “On the neutrality of security, I will be more at home if specific examples can be given that a security man did something against an opposition.

“Perception is alright, but it may not be real. What is apparent may not be real. So, I am more at home when specific examples are given.”

While reacting to security concerns and call for the removal of Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police (IGP) earlier raised by the IRI delegation, Oshiomhole described the claims as ‘unfounded allegations.’

“They want the IGP, INEC Chairman to be removed, but if you look at the evidences on ground, the first election conducted under President Buhari was in Bayelsa State and PDP won.

“The second was Anambra State, where the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won the election. When the PDP wins, there are no issues but when they lose, they will raise the issue of bias and all that,” he stated.

He also argued that those who believe they cannot win elections, would make effort to abort democracy, adding: “What happens if you create a situation where people manipulate the electronic system to lead to an outcome in which you cannot legally safeguard the votes?

Speaking earlier, leader if the delegation, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfied, said there were concerns about security; like lack of confidence in the security agencies, their neutrality, and others.

“A number of concerns were raised among other political parties that the playing field is not even there and that the ruling party has some advantages they don’t have.

“That is normal when you are the ruling party, but they are appealing that the playing field is not even,” she added.

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