The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just-concluded election, Atiku Abubakar, is asking the Federal Government not to deploy the military in the Governorship and House of Assembly elections coming up on Saturday March 9, 2019.

According to the media aide to the former Vice President, Paul Ibe, this formed part of Mr. Abubakar’s demands during the meeting between the National Peace Committee and some PDP leaders on Thursday.

In a statement, Abubakar also made reference to the electoral infractions the party claimed it observed during the Presidential election.

He added in the statement, “Ahead of the 9 March governorship and state house of assembly election, the Atiku Abubakar team called for the unconditional release of all those illegally arrested and detained for political reasons.

“Atiku Abubakar and his team reaffirmed that the presidential election of 23 February was the worst in the history of the country since the return to democracy in 1999.”

He stated further, “According to him (Abubakar), the sham election was marked by militarization of the process, vote suppression, intimidation, and collaboration of security agencies, INEC and the ruling party to subvert the will of Nigerians.”

Although, the issue of Abubakar and the PDP’s resolve to seek legitimate actions “to reclaim his stolen mandate” was said not to have been discussed at the meeting, the PDP flag bearer had insisted “that as a democrat, he will follow laid down constitutional and democratic procedures to challenge the electoral malfeasance committed by APC in cohort with INEC.”

He asked Nigerians to come out en masse and vote in the March 9 election for the PDP candidates and be ready to defend their votes up to collation point.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report

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