DSS harassing our members at tribunal – A’Ibom PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State has accused the Department of State Services of aiding the opposition party at the venue of the electoral petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja.

The state chairman of the PDP, Mr. Paul Ekpo, who said this in a statement, on Tuesday in Uyo, asked Nigerians and the international community to intervene in the matter.

Ekpo said, “We wish to use this opportunity to alert the nation and the international community about the undisguised display of partisanship by the agents of the State Security Service at the electoral tribunal currently sitting in Abuja.

“Our members and agents have been hounded, harassed and threatened by agents of the State Security Service.

“The Resident Electoral Commissioner has been equally hounded and unfairly singled out for interrogation.

“We want to put it on record that what the opposition is doing in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states is against the spirit, ethos and values of democratic norms and traditions.

“Nigeria is not a one-party state and any attempt by the opposition to use the state security to subvert the will of the good people of Akwa Ibom State as expressly given on March 28 and April 11 respectively will be resisted squarely.”

According to Ekpo, the PDP wants the world to ask the All Progressives Congress and “its agents in the DSS” why Akwa Ibom and Rivers states are being singled out for scrutiny.

He asked what happened to those states in the North, where it was “clearly documented for the whole world to see” that underage children were allowed to vote.

Ekpo queried why the RECs in those northern states were not harassed or hounded.

He asked, “Why Akwa Ibom and Rivers states?  Just yesterday,  the APC governorship candidate in the last governorship election in the state, Obong Umana Umana,  brought trailer-loads of thugs to the venue of the tribunal and harassed our members which is a clear violation of the rules of engagement at the tribunal.”

Ekpo warned that Akwa Ibom people would refuse to be  conquered  or cowed and would protect the votes that were freely given at the last governorship election.