The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, on Sunday warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to plunge the nation into crisis saying his party is ready to resist him.
Mr Secondus’ statement came on the heels of the upcoming arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over his failure to declare his assets.
The issue is currently generating heated debate in the polity.
Mr Secondus at a PDP presidential rally in Jos on Sunday said the party would resist the president’s attempt to ‘attack’ the judiciary.
He said Mr Buhari was planning to rig the 2019 elections by first compromising the judiciary.
“Thirty days to the election, Buhari and APC want to destroy Nigeria. We (PDP) will not agree. If they want crisis, they will see it,” Mr Secondus said.
According to Mr Secondus, the last hope for the common man which is the judiciary is under attack.
“Buhari and his APC are planning to carpet it to dance to their tune. Nigerians must rise up to resist these antics capable of destroying Nigeria,” he added.
Mr Secondus said the president is desperate for a second term in office and started by attacking politicians, moved to attack the National Assembly and is now laying a siege on the judicial arm of government.
He also claimed that the APC led government “wanted to kill” the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and an opposition senator, Dino Melaye, who is presently detained by the police over criminal allegations.
“They started killing upon killing. Buhari and APC want to destroy the country. They have started with politicians, then to members of National Assembly and now heading to the judiciary. They want to carpet the judiciary so as to dance to their tune.
“We must rise up and resist it. This thing didn’t happen in Congo or Venezuela. If they want crisis, they will see it. They want to start the rigging from the judiciary but it would not work,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the APC had failed in governance.
Mr Abubakar had condemned the upcoming arraignment of Mr Onnoghen.
He also promised to restructure the country while ensuring peace returns to the troubled state.
“I want to promise you three things. I will restore peace and unity in Plateau. I will make Plateau the economic nerve and provide jobs. I call on you to vote all PDP candidates. APC is not campaigning because it has already lost the election,” Mr Abubakar said.
Mr Saraki, who also spoke at the rally, said the PDP remains the only choice in 2019.
“APC promised you security, you don’t have security. APC promised you jobs but we lost jobs. There is hunger everywhere. If you want security, job and food, vote PDP,” Mr Saraki, who decamped from the APC in 2018, said.