The Bayelsa chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday frowned at the planned visit of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, to the state less than 24 hours before Saturday’s governorship poll.

The PDP said the visit will exacerbate the already stretched security situation in the state. In a statement on Friday,  the state PDP publicity secretary, Ebiye Ogoli, said the party is at a loss and shocked that Mr Ganduje plans to visit the state when the INEC-stipulated period for campaigns by political parties elapsed at midnight of Thursday, November 9, 2023.

PDP also noted that the APC National Chairman is not an international or local observer accredited for Saturday’s election, nor is he coming to cast his ballot in Bayelsa, being a registered voter in faraway Kano State.

According to PDP, Mr Ganduje’s presence in Bayelsa would only confirm the allegation that the APC has concluded plans to dollarise the election and compromise the electorate and the electoral umpire.

“Our party restates our belief that Nigeria deserves better and is in dire need of responsible leaders and statesmen who will move the country on the path of true democracy, peace, progress and accelerated development

“Our country needs leaders whose actions would stimulate good governance and bequeath moral decency to advance the course of democracy and not those whose stock-in-trade is to steal, kill and destroy during the election,” Mr Ogoli said. “We remind Mr Ganduje that there are already security breaches, and his visit should not cause more problems that will worsen the already volatile situation.”

A spokesman for the APC did not immediately return a request seeking comment from Peoples Gazette about the PDP’s demand. But the party said earlier in the week it was seeking a peaceful election, accusing the PDP and other opposition parties of being culpable in violence that preceded the election.