Lekki Shootings: PDP suspends political, electioneering activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has put on hold all its political and electioneering activities.

The party disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Ologbondiyan said the decision was a further mark of honour for Nigerian youth who were killed at the Lekki Toll Gate as well as other killings that had occurred in various parts of Nigeria over the fall-out of the #EndSARS peaceful protests.

The PDP had earlier on Thursday night directed that its flags in all its offices nationwide be flown at half-mast in solidarity with the mood of the nation at the trying time.

Mr Ologbondiyan also commended the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone pending 15 by-elections earlier scheduled for October 31, due to the situation in the country.

The INEC on Wednesday postponed indefinitely the by-elections in six senatorial districts and nine state constituencies in 11 states.

The commission stated that it would continue to monitor the situation in all the concerned states and constituencies, consult with relevant stakeholders and meet again in two weeks to review the situation and decide on a feasible date for the by-elections.

Mr Ologbondiyan said: “although such comes at high cost to candidates and political parties, we hold that it is a step in the right direction under the prevailing circumstance.

“In that regard, the PDP charges INEC to continue to monitor the situation and use the period to fine-tune its preparations to conduct peaceful, free, fair and credible elections as part of the much-needed panacea for the restiveness in the country.”

He urged security agencies to also use the period to perfect their roles in electoral operations.

He also called on them to tidy up all arrangements to guarantee the right atmosphere for peaceful and transparent polls where the safety of the voters as well as the sanctity of the ballot box are guaranteed.

“The PDP also restates its call for calm and prayers for our nation at this critical time in our national life, even as all hands must be on the deck in finding solutions and the way forward for our nation.”

Meanwhile, a former minister of women affairs, Josephine Anenih, has also condoled with all those who lost their lives in the recent violence that rocked parts of the nation.

ALSO READ: #EndSARS: PDP flags to be flown at half-mast nationwide – Official

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, she condemned the killing of innocent and peaceful citizens protesting against the excessive use of force, brutality and extortion in Nigeria.

The rights activist condemned the use of live ammunition against unarmed protesters.

“Is what the Youth are crying for not what we as Nigerians want?? A better society, a more equitable society, a country to be a field of dreams for our children.

“We mothers will not sit on the sidelines while our children are being massacred. We have heard You, your pain is now our pain.

“We are calling on the Government to right the wrongs and bring the perpetrators to book. We will not allow the blood of our children to be shed in vain.”