2023 Election: PDP Is Confused, Afraid Of Its Own Shadows — APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed an allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are planning to postpone the 2023 general elections.

Reacting to the allegation on Friday, January 13, 2023, the APC described the claim as unfounded and accused the opposition party of creating unnecessary concerns ahead of the elections.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council said the PDP was “confused and afraid of its own shadows,” arguing that the opposition party had resorted to raising alarm rather than focusing on issues before Nigerians.

In a statement, the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, said there was no basis for the claim that the elections would be postponed.

According to Onanuga, INEC had repeatedly expressed its preparedness to conduct the elections as scheduled.

He said Nigerians should disregard the allegation, describing it as speculation without evidence.

Onanuga also cited assurances from former President Muhammadu Buhari that the 2023 elections would hold as planned. He further referenced comments by the then Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government had no plan to interfere with the electoral timetable.

The APC campaign council argued that the PDP was raising the issue because of what it described as challenges within the opposition party’s campaign.

Onanuga said the APC was instead concentrating on presenting its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, to voters under the party’s “Renewed Hope” campaign platform.

He also highlighted areas the APC said represented the Buhari administration’s achievements, including infrastructure, agriculture, food security, military capacity and reforms in the oil and gas sector.

The APC spokesman further criticised Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, over some of his campaign positions, including comments concerning the possible sale of assets belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The party argued that Nigerians were entitled to assess the policies and records of the various presidential candidates before casting their ballots.

While dismissing the PDP’s allegation, the APC maintained that the 2023 general elections would proceed according to the timetable announced by INEC.

The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, on January 13, 2023.