The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to favour the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in the forthcoming governorship elections.
The opposition party also said it had unraveled plans by some elements within the Presidency, who are bent on ensuring that APGA’s gubernatorial candidate – Chief Willie Obiano – emerges winner in an effort to humiliate APC at the polls.
This was made known by the Interim National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in an interview with THISDAY.
APC based its allegation on the outcome of the recent validation of voters register carried out by INEC in Anambra state, which it said was tampered with in order to favour APGA.
Mohammed said, “INEC already has shown its bias. You see in 2011 elections, there were about 2.1 million registered voters in Anambra state, but INEC came to say they were conducting verification of the register and the figure went down 1.8 million voters. The commission then carried out continuous registration for a month or so and they now say that the figure is 1.7 million.
“So clearly, INEC is tampering with the register and we have seen that it is in the areas where APC is perceived to be very strong, they have deliberately deleted and disenfranchised many people. Whereas in the areas where APGA is perceived to strong, they have manipulated figures upwards”, he said.
The APC spokesman also alleged that certain notorious elements known for their antecedents in election rigging have been pencilled down for deployment by INEC.
“All these we will bring out to the open very soon” Mohammed stated, adding “We are also aware that the commission has posted notorious riggers to preside over the election in Anambra and we shall resist their being deployed because their track record is clear for everybody to see.
“We know some of them who are card-carrying members of the PDP. Many of these officials are more PDP that even Mr. President or Bamanga Tukur. We are going to also alert the international community that the Federal government, INEC and the PDP are not keen on holding a free and fair election in Anambra state. Everything on the ground now indicates victory for APC in the Anambra election.
“We (are) aware of the various plans by the Federal Government to ensure that the Anambra election will not be free and fair. Sources have clearly indicated that the only interest of the Federal government and the PDP especially is to humiliate APC. You know that PDP has lost out from contesting the election.
“What we see is that the November 16 election will be between Presidency, APC and then other parties. But we want to assure them that they will meet their waterloo, we know all the shenanigans they are planning and we will expose in due course.
“We also want to assure them that it will not be like the Delta Senatorial bye-election, we will be very vigilant and expose them before the election and during the election. We can assure them that they would not get away with the kind rigging they did in Delta,” he said.
However, Mr. Kayode Idowu, who is the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, denied the allegation insisting that the Commission was too responsible in discharging its duties to be partisan.
He said, “INEC is a responsible and neutral umpire of the electoral process. It does it’s job by established rules, not partisan whims. The claim is utterly baseless and there is no point event joining issues with the party”.
-THISDAY
Lai mohammed ur a liar
What gives APC the least idea that even if their candidate was Ojukwu or Zik, they would win in Igbo land.
The Igbos are very bitter for the many betrayals of the ”NEW OWNERS” of APC, the S.W.
Starting from Awo’s betrayal of Zik when Zik won election in the West before 1960, to Awo agreeing with Ojukwu to declare Biafra and Okwechime Benin and Banjo to declare Oduduwa but reaching Ibadan he disappointed again and then the most recent of Fashola sending the Igbos in Lagos back to Onisha.
For me o, any Igbo that votes APC is a bastard.
Hmm, how I wish d SE will open there eyes and for once in there lifetime look beyond religion, ethnicity or any other sentiments and help move Nigeria forward. People Destroying People association have held this country in comatose for over a decade and for once I think we should go for a change. As its evident in SW, a progressive wind is blowing if the wind as its already blowing in Imo should be allowed in Anambra will do d SE an immeasurable good. A word is enough for d wise.
Kay please give me credible and positive Governance from all the APC Governors or their state compared to that of PDP states. We should learn to talk positive not criticising Good people for party sake. If APC is good what is wrong with them introducing their policies to the President who is their own President and not just PDP President alone what we all want is achieving the Nigerian Dream of becoming a better nation and not blaming people for similar mistake you also commit. Nigeria is one