"NDF consequently calls on the DSS and the Nigerian Police Force to immediately arrest and question Secondus to explain what he meant by declaring war. It is our belief that this matter should not be treated with levity, given the earlier revelation that the PDP has positioned terrorists, extremists, separatists and foreign mercenaries to unleash violence in different parts of the country.”
The National Democratic Front (NDF) has called on the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to immediately arrest Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the group, Secondus should be arrested for "threatening war should his party lose the February 16 presidential election".
NDF said the threat by the PDP National Chairman implies that he expects that his party must be announced the winner of the election, even when it loses.
A statement by Bolaji Abdukadir, Secretary-General of the group, noted that such utterance was not justifiable under any circumstances in a country where there are laws.
He said: '"It will, however, seem that the PDP with its officials and chieftains are resolute on doing everything to undermine the elections, degrade their credibility even before they are conducted, and reject results that they are already projected to lose. They see shadows behind every wall and have become pathetically hysterical to the point of handing the country over to foreigners.
"This hysteria on the part of the PDP and its mercenaries has put the entire country on edge with the constant sabre rattling over the election while creating the impression that it has to be a war situation of a do or die affair, when the entire process is in reality about citizens exercising their right to decide who leads them.
"The PDP is aware of its low acceptability among Nigerian voters because of its record of wasted opportunities, so it has now resorted to threats to force itself on the country.
Constantly creating the impression that the general election would be rigged in favour of the ruling party has therefore become the stock in trade of the PDP to the extent that not even its members take the party seriously anymore hence the ill-advised strategy of threatening war against the country.
"The implication of the threat from PDP is that it would unleash violence on the country when the results are announced and it loses fairly and squarely. Several groups with a few individuals and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had raised the alarm in the past that the PDP has perfected plans to cause widespread violence as part of a plot to force an interim government on the country, because it knows it will lose the election. Secondus’ threat is the clearest confirmation yet that this plot is real and is now in its implementation stage.
"NDF consequently calls on the DSS and the Nigerian Police Force to immediately arrest and question Secondus to explain what he meant by declaring war. It is our belief that this matter should not be treated with levity, given the earlier revelation that the PDP has positioned terrorists, extremists, separatists and foreign mercenaries to unleash violence in different parts of the country.”
"A failure to arrest Secondus and any other person that threaten war against Nigeria over the elections will make these law enforcement agencies accessories to any breakdown of law and order carried out by the PDP.”
The NDF, however, urged all political parties and their candidates to “honour the peace pact they signed as part of ensuring violence free elections,” adding that “There are judicial avenues for ventilating grievances, which is what parties and their candidates should explore and not threaten or unleash violence on Nigerians."