The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged Nigerians and the international community to hold President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible, should there be violence ahead of the 2019 general elections or in the aftermath, as alerted by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

The party also urged world leaders and international bodies to immediately call the Buhari Presidency and the APC to order, so that their electoral desperation does not result in a large-scale political and humanitarian crisis in our country.

In a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said that the independent report by USIP, which details the plots by the ruling party to ‘use intimidation tactics’ in the electoral process, has vindicated its stand that the APC has been stoking the embers of violence, having realised that Nigerians have rejected it and that it will lose in any credible, free and fair election.

PDP said: “The use of violence and intimidation by the APC in recent elections, including the Ekiti governorship election as well as recent bye-elections in Kogi, Bauchi and Katsina states, further validates USIP’s report on the violent proclivities of the APC.

“Besides, USIP’s direct caution to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its manifest credibility doubts to deliver credible election, also places a huge moral burden on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, given its exposed clandestine meetings between officials of the commission and APC leaders on ways to rig the elections.

“While the PDP expresses worry over the desperation of the APC as reflected in the USIP report, our party calls on all Nigerians and friends of our nation to rally in unity against the machinations of the APC, a party that has shown itself to be against the unity and stability of our country.

“Moreover, Nigerians are already decisive on a peaceful and united country, where compatriots live harmoniously and will do all to resist the divisive machinations of the APC, particularly ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“Furthermore, President Buhari and the APC should know that no amount of intimidation and harassment can break the will of Nigerians in their iron-cast resolve to rally on the platform of the PDP to free our nation from the oppressive grips of the incompetent and anti-democratic Buhari-led APC administration.

“Nigerians have witnessed enough violence, bloodletting and deaths under the APC and are not ready to allow such to prevail in the 2019 general elections.”

PDP, however, appealed to President Buhari and the APC to, therefore, accept the reality of their rejection by Nigerians and immediately retrace from all their anti-democratic tendencies and actions that tend to push the nation to the brink.