For Immediate Release
July 13, 2018
Houston TX, USA
PDP Diaspora Initiative Denounces Violence and Voter Intimidation in Ekiti State
The PDP Diaspora Initiative (PDP-DI), a non-profit organization, headquartered in the United States of America, has condemned the All Progressives Congress violence and intimidation of Nigerian citizens who are going about a lawful exercise of their political rights in Ekiti State.
This week, the administration deployed thousands of police officers to Ekiti State to harass citizens as the state prepares for its gubernatorial election on Saturday.
“This is an unacceptable misuse of our police and law enforcement agencies to intimidate citizens and influence elections,” PDP-DI Founder and National Chair Hon. Victoria Pamugo said. “We all know that violence can be used to discourage political participation and so we are calling on the police and law enforcement to exercise restraint, ensure the safety of lives and properties, and allow the people of Ekiti to choose their own leaders without any interference,” Hon. Pamugo said.
The PDP-DI expresses support for a call by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which, earlier, condemned the President Buhari and APC-led violence against the members of PDP in Ado-Ekiti. "Free and fair elections are the essence of democracy and citizens should freely exercise their civic responsibility by being able to leave their homes to cast their votes without any fear or intimidation," Hon. Pamugo said.
PDP-DI encourages the people of Ekiti not to be deterred by the threat of political violence and voter intimidation in going to cast their votes and participating in choosing their own leaders. We enjoin the people of Ekiti to come out in numbers and use their votes wisely.
PDP-DI also calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure and guarantee the integrity of the election in Ekiti as well as subsequent elections in other parts of Nigeria.
Signed:
Chidi Igwe
National Publicity Secretary
PDP Diaspora Initiative