PDP denies plot to bank on religion

The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted irritably to accusations it planned to circulate leaflets in mosques and churches to urge Muslims to vote only for Muslim candidates in the coming elections.

All Progressives Congress (APC) its main rival, made the allegation.

“This is an unintended leak from the opposition massive arsenal of religious bigotry and viscous divisive politics,” PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said.

“Here is the APC running with the hares by pretending an ally of the people while ravenously hunting with the hounds by harvesting from the fissures on our fault lines, all in an attempt to sell the unmarketable in its presidential candidate (Muhammadu Buhari).”

It said “such a barefaced, thoughtless statement from a political party notorious for false alarms, deceit and pernicious propaganda is another auspicious window into the warped mindset of the party that flaunts messianic wherewithal.”

“It is tangential for Nigerians to judge who gains from such an irresponsible political conduct. And the truth is that it is the APC whose actions, utterances and body language have been anything but unifying.

"It is the APC who the provincial and religious irredentism of its leaders is defying the overnight coat of nationalism forced on them by million dollar-backed foreign consultants.”

The ruling party said it did not needs religious or ethnic “cleavages campaign” to win the 2015 presidential elections.

"Our history of consistency in form, structure and core values as well as track record of delivery, which have endeared us over the years to Nigerians have not changed.

We therefore remain the best and do not need recourse to narrow politicking especially when our presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan epitomizes the unity, progress and prosperity of the nation.”