DPP:How Bafarawa Rejected Pre-Polls Deal With Obasanjo

FROM MOHAMMED ABUBAKAR, ABUJA
A FRESH allegation came yesterday from the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) that the then President Olusegun Obasanjo led-administrator wooed its presidential candidate Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and get three states allocated to his party at the election.

The party alleged that the DPP was promised Sokoto Kebbi and Zamfara in the election if the former governor agreed to decamp to PDP.

In a statement signed by DPP's Director of Publicity, Ismaila Sani, the party said Bafarawa rejected the offers.

He added that the meeting which was at the instance of Obasanjo had in attendance PDP National Chairman Ahmadu Ali and Bello Haliru Mohammed, PDP's National Vice Chairman Northwest.

He went further: "We refused to be part of the unholy allocation arrangement because we are a responsible party that was ready for the electioneering process as we had structures and even went as far as fielding candidates at all levels. It was our fervent believe that if free and fair elections were allowed to take place. DPP would have won some states.

"That not withstanding, we are currently challenging the governorship elections in some states and we are confident that if the judiciary sustains the credibility and independence it has carved for itself in recent time, then we are on our way to clinching at least eight governorship seats.

"The DPP, therefore, can never sit under any guise to conclude an illegality we refused to be part of from the beginning," the party said.

"If the likes of General Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar who know their onions, reject the offer to participate in any form of unity government, why should our party which was adjudged by majority of Nigerians as the fastest growing political party be part of legitimising an imposition?

"Nigerians should know that there is no sincerity in the so-called on-going discussion on the formation of a unity government as it is a conclusion of the negotiation that took place before the April fraud.

"The DPP would continue to explore every available constitutional means to seek redress in respect of the rape to democracy committed by the PDP and their agents," the party surmised.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article04