Nigeria - Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed has described as provocative and unacceptable Thursday's destruction of billboards and the campaign office of Goodluck/Sambo Presidential campaign office in Gombe, capital of Gombe State. He stated this at Thursday's rally of President Goodluck Jonathan after Governor Danjuma Goje gave a graphic account of alleged vandalism and destruction of facilities at the Gombe Airport and PDP billboards mounted on the route, which the President and his entourage were expected to ride into the State capital.

The Governor expressed regrets over the acts of vandalism but stated that he persuaded PDP's supporters and loyalists to restrain from retaliation as it could escalate tension unnecessarily.

But the PDP's Acting National Chairman, who was apparently piqued by reports of the mayhem in Gombe, described the development as despicable, disturbing and unacceptable to the party.

"We have noticed an ugly trend creeping into our political process. They (the opposition) are introducing a new culture of violence and banditry into the political process as a means of setting the stage to discredit the forthcoming elections, which they have realised they will lose".

"For the avoidance of doubt, PDP is committed to free, fair and credible elections. While they are setting the stage to foment chaos to discredit the elections and head to court to invalidate our expected electoral victory, we are campaigning, we are crisscrossing the country to meet the Nigerian electorate and seek their votes. We are set to win fair and square in a free and fair atmosphere. Our president has been preaching the doctrine of one man, one vote, one woman, one vote, one youth, one vote.

We therefore reject this emerging culture of violence, brigandage and hooliganism in our body politic", he said.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to investigate the incident and take appropriate actions, adding that the PDP will do everything to ensure thatthe culprits were brought to book.

"Let us see what the INEC and the security agencies will do. We are watching to see if INEC is equal to the task. We have just signed a code of conduct prepared by INEC for all political parties. Let them fish out those who broke into our campaign office and unleashed the mayhem. We will not resort to violence in the face of these obvious acts of provocation against us as a party in government. Time has now come that we have to speak out".

Rotimi Akinwumi

Daily Independent/11/03/2011