The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to distort the monitoring report on its Guber primary ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
The PDP stated its position at a press conference addressed by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the major opposition party, its clamour is based on credible intelligence report which it received, which uncovered a purported plot by the electoral umpire in conjunction with the APC to disqualify Musa Wada, its candidate for the upcoming election.
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The PDP noted that the alleged plan was doomed to fail.
“Of course, this plot is dead on arrival, as our candidate, Musa Wada, remains duly nominated through the statutory processes of our primary, which was well covered in the Monitoring Report released by INEC.
“The PDP cautions that any attempt to tamper with his candidature will trigger the wrath of the people,” Ologbondiyan said.
The PDP spokesperson also claimed that it was aware of a clandestine meeting between INEC officials and APC members in which persons in attendance allegedly perfected strategies to discountenance the electoral umpire’s previous report on its primary.
It noted that in the event that the purported disavowal of the report was not successful, officials of INEC and the APC had allegedly concluded plans to hire sympathisers of the ruling party as officials for the upcoming election.
Ologbondiyan said: “The PDP has been further made aware of how the conspirators have recruited 205 APC loyalists, who are being trained at Muslim Community School, Lokoja to impersonate NYSC members as Polling and Electoral Officers in designated areas to enable the APC and INEC manipulate the process in such areas.”
He also said that the PDP was in the know of alleged plans by the APC to use the security operatives to arrest over 30 of its members in the state as part of tactics to intimidate its party members and Kogi citizens to withdraw support for Wada.
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He, however, called on the security agents to remain neutral throughout the course of the electioneering period in the state, noting that any illegal act would be resisted by the Kogi electorate.
“Also, intelligence available to the PDP indicates that over 30 Kogi leaders have been listed for arrest by the APC so as to put them out of circulation and pave way for manipulations against the people.
“Our party cautions the APC and their compromised security agents to steer clear of our leaders and members during this election. This is because any unwarranted attempt on their freedom and safety will be firmly resisted,” he said.
The PDP also called on all Kogi residents to effectively monitor the entire electoral process, adding that the APC and its candidate, Governor Yahaya Bello, must be held responsible should anything untoward happen to any PDP member during the election.
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