The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP says the party will not involve in murder to achieve political goals.
The party made the remark in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh.
According to the statement, the party condemns violence and other political vices that can derail the present political process in the country.
The statement followed a remark made by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on the murder of the Principal Secretary to Edo Governor, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde.
“PDP does not need to kill to succeed because its pedigree as a performing political party, places it in good stead to succeed in any electoral contest in the country.
?“The NWC of the PDP has observed the current political trend in Edo with great concern, the dangerous descent to violence and the resort to baseless accusations and foul language employed to score cheap political points.
“In order to clear the doubts in the minds of those who have been inundated with vile propaganda by the ACN government in Edo, the PDP condemns all forms of violence and can never be involved in murder to achieve its political goals.’’
It sympathised with the government and people of Edo over the murder of Oyerinde, stressing that it was unfortunate that the ACN had “ready made’’ suspects for its misfortune.
?The statement, however, urged the governor “to look beyond his obsession with wild accusations against his opponents and also consider the possibility of culprits within his set up’’.
It condemned the attitude of the ACN, which it said, had chosen to dishonour the memory of Oyerinde by making his death a tool for political campaign.?
The statement said that the PDP had nothing to gain from the murder of Oyerinde, “it is only the ACN that stands to gain massive sympathy and public sentiments in this regard’’.
According to the statement, the pronouncements by Gov. Oshiomhole, accusing the PDP and its leaders for the murder is irresponsible and capable of jeopardising investigations by the law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, the party urged the police and other security agencies not to leave any stone unturned in fishing out the killers of Oyerinde.
The party said: “ no amount of blackmail, mudslinging and setups will deter the party from pursuing its objective of a free, fair and untainted political campaign in Edo.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyerinde was murdered on May 4 by unknown gunmen in Benin.
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