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Below are some instances when key APC members made the public call for a “parallel government” during the lead-up to the 2015 presidential election.
At a town hall meeting in Washington DC, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was asked if the APC was indeed planning a “parallel government” should the party feel aggrieved by the 2015 presidential election result.
In a now-viral video, Osinbajo replied that the PDP had a history of mismanaging elections and APC had indeed insisted that if such happened in the 2015 election, then a parallel government would be established.
“It’s important to bear in mind that it is really up to the ruling government (PDP) to ensure that elections are free and fair. And we made our points repeatedly that it is up to the ruling party to ensure the election is fair. Every time there is a free and fair election, there would be absolutely no crisis,” he said.
“You will never find crisis anywhere there is a free and fair election. For instance, in the June 12 election we are talking about, there was no violence because it was free and fair.
“In the event, and the APC has said, that there is electoral robbery, that is, being robbed of our rightful votes, that will establish a parallel government. We certainly provide morals and sanity for the people of Nigeria.”
Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state, had joined APC from PDP and was one of the political stalwarts poached by the opposition to clinch power in the 2015 election.
Amaechi also threatened that the APC would resort to constituting its own parallel government if PDP failed to deliver a “free and fair election”.
On November 24, 2014, the former Rivers governor spoke in Abuja and said APC had met and agreed to “install our own government” should the party sense any foul play.
“What is the essence of going to court when the federal government doesn’t obey the law? That’s why the APC says we won’t go to court any longer,” Amaechi said.
“If you rig us out, we will rig ourselves in. This means if you think you can rig us out in 2015, we will form our own government. We have met on that and we have agreed on that. We will install our own government and there will be two governments.
“The only way to avoid a parallel government is to have a free and fair election. You can’t continue to use the police as if it is a private agency or company of the government.”
After the statement by Amaechi generated widespread criticism from the Jonathan administration and PDP sympathisers, APC released a statement to reaffirm its stance on constituting a parallel government.
Lai, who was the party’s spokesperson, in a statement, warned PDP that “the gloves are off” and that the APC will no longer engage in any nicety.
“Those who are fretting about this statement are those who are planning to rig the elections, and they should be warned that Nigerians will no longer accept the outcome of any fraudulent polls. Those who incite the people are those who steal their mandate,” Lai said.