PDP fires back at APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has read a statement credited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state accusing the administration of His Excellency, Governor Samuel Ortom, of gagging the opposition through what it terms as “use of brute force and careless litigations…”.

The opposition party in its statement particularly wails over the alleged arrest of its member, one Cheren Terfa Jeremiah claiming that “…the present Benue State Government has severally ordered the arrest of our party members for many flimsy reasons with some already arraigned in court with less litigable cases”.

We state for the records and for emphasis too that the PDP controlled administration of Governor Ortom as a matter of strict policy does not use or condone the use of brute force in addressing issues, as being alleged by APC.

The records bear witness that under the reign of the administration thuggery, political touting and ills associated thereto have been phased out of the state, and the opposition enjoys all the freedoms guaranteed by law.

However, it is trite that all liberties guaranteed under law demand corresponding obligatory responsibility of all citizens, and in line with this we urge the opposition in Benue State, particularly the APC, to take responsibility for its actions.

APC must embrace the rule of law and accept that its members may have to sort out their differences with government or whosoever through litigation, since that remains the most civilised way to dispute resolution available.

The opposition party must also understand that it is not on its own competent to determine when and where litigation is “careless” or “unnecessary”, as only the courts of law have the authority to so determine.

PDP retains implicit faith in the judicial process and urges the opposition, particularly APC, to do same, rather than cheaply indulging in crying wolf where there is none.