The ruling All Progressives Congress has berated the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the accusation that the APC was responsible for the attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities.

The APC described the allegations to disrupt the 2023 general election as “malicious lies”, stressing that it has no plans to prevent Nigerians from collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the polls.

The ruling party said this via a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka,  a copy of which was made available to The Star on Thursday.

The party stated that the PDP, barely 65 days to the 2023 presidential election, remains preoccupied with “spewing gibberish and falsehoods as choice electoral strategy at a time when serious political parties are digging deep, canvassing votes and building viable electoral networks.”

The APC noted that it abhors all forms of violence and electoral malpractices as “a responsible ruling party that we are”, adding: “We stand united with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its effort to conduct a free, transparent, and fair election next year.

“We have and continue to, unequivocally, condemn attacks on INEC’s facilities and staff, and urge our security agencies to protect these important facilities, and to bring perpetrators of these acts to justice.

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“Violent attacks against INEC facilities and staff are very serious matters of national concern and security and has potential to destabilize our set electoral program on which the viability and sustainability of our nascent democracy depends. It is not a flimsy matter that anyone or political party should appropriate as material for a morbid comedy skit as the PDP chooses to do and has done quite consistently during this electoral season.

“A responsible political actor or party that has any credible and actionable intelligence on matters as serious as plots to destabilize our national elections would turn that information or ‘intelligence’ over to our many law enforcement agencies for full and thorough investigation and possible arrest and prosecution of perpetrators. It is crassly irresponsible for the PDP and its officials to drown the airwaves and news wires with dubious and immature cacophony of falsehoods, phantom plots, and conspiracy theories.

“Without a doubt, the PDP’s false alarm and baseless allegations against our great party only belies their twisted wish that next year’s election be averted as a face-saving exit strategy for what they already know would turn out to be a well-rounded electoral interment of their decadent and expired party.”

The APC further lashed out at the PDP for accusing the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, of the plot to disrupt the 2023 general election, saying the main opposition party has always been intimidated by the “towering popularity of our presidential candidate who is tirelessly traversing the length and breadth of our country justifying his bid for the highest office in the land and renewing hope of a more vibrant future for all Nigerians.”

“It is clearly illogical and infantile to suggest, as the PDP attempts to do, that the undisputed front runner and preferred candidate to win next year’s presidential election, bolstered by the profound accomplishments of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, would engage in acts or plots to scuttle an election he is eminently confident of winning. Nigerians are smarter and more discerning than the PDP believes them to be.

“It bears mentioning for the umpteenth time that one of many legacies APC is bequeathing to Nigeria, is independent and credible electoral system. The new Electoral Act, the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS); the conduct of credible off-season elections in Anambra, Osun, and Ekiti; adequate funding of INEC and improved capability of the security forces remain pointers to this unassailable fact.

“While the PDP keeps busy milling falsehood and propaganda as preferred electoral strategy, we choose to remain undistracted, resolute, and focused on serving Nigerians and soliciting their valued support ahead of the 2023 general election,” the ruling party added.

The Star