The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 dissociated itself from a recent documentary which aired on Silverbird Television, allegedly demonizing retired military personnel, which many, including former Military President Ibrahim Babangida had believed to be the handiwork of supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Reacting to the development, the Director, Media and Publicity of PDP presidential campaign committee, Femi Fani-Kayode said President Jonathan and his true friends have great respect for the military and would never be a hand in any documentary or actions that would downplay the achievements of the armed forces.
Fani-Kayode went on to condemn the unpatriotic documentary in no uncertain terms, saying the PDP is not a party to it.
He said: “It has been brought to our attention that there is speculation that an anti-military documentary which was aired on Silverbird Television last night, was erroneously described as the handiwork of ‘President Jonathan’s men’.
“We wish to make it abundantly clear that the PDP presidential campaign organisation, the PDP or any true friend of President Jonathan would never have a hand in the compilation, production or sponsorship of any documentary that seeks to undermine or disparage our armed forces or indeed, those who have served our country in any military capacity in an honourable and meritorious way in the past.
“Not only do we frown on such unpatriotic documentaries, we also condemn them. We wish to make it clear that President Jonathan and all his true friends have nothing but the greatest respect for the military and the men and women of our armed forces.”
“The APC, as part of its desperate attempt to discredit the government and to score a few cheap political points before Saturday’s election, have indulged in a classical case of economic sabotage and breach of national security by causing havoc in Lagos, particularly by going around waiving their smutty brooms specifically in places like Ajah, all the way to Epe, compelling petrol filling stations or seeking to persuade them with cash or threat not to sell petrol to the public.
“This is unpatriotic, unacceptable and it is something that the security agencies should look into. If a political party can do this just to get political power, what won’t they do once and if they ever get it.
“Again, we are aware that on March 23 in Lagos, Bola Tinubu met with Dele Alake, a member of the APC presidential campaign organisation and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Tinubu’s administration in Lagos State, and they agreed that in the event of their losing the election on March 28, that by March 29 and 30, they will mobilise millions of their supports from the six geo-political zones on a protest march to demonstrate their displeasure and to commit brazen acts of violence.
“When we (PDP) win this election, we will stand firm and defend our victory with everything that we have got. No one shall rob us of that victory.”
Fani-Kayode further besought Nigerians to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the Saturday, March 28, 2015 presidential elections, adding that the declaration by Rivers State Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru upon decamping to the PDP that the “APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood. APC is a party of insurgents and anarchists clothed in robes of pretence and deceit.” was “not only appropriate but they are also words that needed to be taken very seriously. We say this because no one else has managed to capture the very essence of the APC and the leadership of the APC with their words as well as Ikuru.”
