PDP cancels Abuja rally after government denies it the use of Garki Old Parade Ground

NIGERIA'S main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cancelled a presidential rally it planned to hold today in Abuja saying the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had denied it permission to use the venue proposed for the event.

Next Saturday on February 16, Nigeria goes to the polls to elect a new president in a tight race between incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. Today, the PDP had planned to hold a mega rally in the federal capital Abuja but last night it announced that the event was cancelled because the government had denied it use of the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja.

PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said:  “The PDP invites Nigerians to document this provocative action against our party and our presidential campaign by the Buhari presidency and the APC. It is also instructive to state that we had earlier scheduled our Lagos mega rally for the Tafawa Balewa Square on Saturday until the Buhari presidency and the APC came up with same date forcing our campaign to opt for Abuja.

“We hope they will allow the Lagos rally to hold on Tuesday. The PDP holds that these provocative actions, instead of deterring Nigerians from their determination to vote out President Buhari on February 16, has only succeeded in spurring more compatriots to support the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar to victory.

“The PDP appreciates the commitment of Nigerians, particularly, those who

have already converged on Abuja for this mega rally. While we regret the inconvenience caused by the insensitive action of the Buhari presidency and APC, we wish to inform that a rescheduled date for the rally will be communicated soon.”

He added that the PDP had paid for the venue of the Abuja rally and was surprised to find out hit had been denied permission at the last minute. According to Mr Ologbondiyan, the PDP will not be deterred  from its campaign despite all these setbacks.