Opposition parties rebuff rigging claims, point accusing fingers at federal govt

A group of opposition political parties has shrugged off a statement by the Federal government alleging plans by the Opposition parties to rig the forthcoming general elections.

The group under the platform of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in a statement by its first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere in Abuja on Monday said only the federal government was guilty of its own plan to disrupt the elections.

The group was said to have lobbied countries to discredit the outcome of the election.

Ugochinyere maintained that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was the one deploying machinery to rig the elections.

He listed the social investment scheme, Tradermoni and the use of the military through the operation python dance III as means with which the federal government had planned to rig the election.

He alleged the federal government of plans to clampdown on top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ), including the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and its national chairman, Uche Secondus alongside 16 others.

He said, “Who is attempting to buy votes through the fraudulent TraderMoni which has failed? Who is plotting to import voters from neighbouring countries which has been exposed? Who is deploying security agencies particularly the military through the hurriedly put together Operation Python Dance III to intimidate voters?

“All these have failed, hence like they purchased order with which the Chief Justice of Nigeria was unlawfully forced out of office, they have purchased a Magistrate Court order to arrest key opposition leaders including Senator Bukola Saraki, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Uche Secondus and 16 other leaders of the opposition.

“Let it be known to the Presidency that any election result which is not a reflection of the will of the Nigerian people will be rejected and that the real winner of the election will form a government of Nigeria, by Nigerians and for Nigerians.

“The statement is a failed attempt by Alhaji Lai Mohammed and his paymasters to scare the international community away from monitoring the election as the gatekeepers of developing democracies.”

Read also: Ishaku, PDP stockpiling 300m worth of arms to rig elections -Taraba APC

Ugochinyere said the APC had been jittery havimg realised the odds were agaimst it., hence has resolved to cheap blackmail.

He added, “Their allegations fall flat in the face and they now know that Nigerians now take it as a patriotic service to the nation to send this government out of the Presidential Villa so that a new government can get Nigeria working again.

“The claims of Alhaji Lai Mohammed are bare faced lies, signs of a guilty conscience and a red herring to deceive the ordinary people and distract the mind of the international community but which will not achieve the set purpose.

In a related development, the CUPP has described Sunday’s endorsement of Atiku Abubakar by the Northern Elders Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Middle Belt Forum as a fatal blow to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.

The coalition also described the endorsement of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate by the regional leaders as the beginning of the cracking of President Buhari and his APC-led Federal Government like crackers biscuit by Atiku.

This was contained in a statement Ugochinyere issued in Abuja on Monday. He advised Buhari to honourably drop his re-election bid to avoid being subjected to an embarrassing defeat.

“This (endorsement) is one huge and soothing fatal blow to the ambition of President Buhari. A revival of the Nigerian spirit has been born.

“Despite all the divisive actions of President Buhari, all the regions have seen through his destructive agenda and have identified a unifier who will lead the mission to get Nigeria working again.

“It is not yet too late for the President to call it quits for the sake of the progress and wellbeing of Nigeria before Nigerians subject him to the most embarrassing and humiliating defeat in Nigeria’s political history”.

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