OSUN GUBER: PDP cloning PVCs, APC alleges

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is cloning permanent voter cards for use in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.

According to the party, information reaching it from the field shows that the party has perfected plans to rig the election using the cloned PVCs.

It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies to probe the opposition party.

The ruling party made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, insisting that PDP must be probed for allegedly planning to scuttle next month’s governorship election in Osun state.

The party said: “When the All Progressives Congress APC learnt of the shocking disclosures, we initially doubted its veracity and dismissed it as one of the fake news in circulation, until further checks backed by media reports confirmed the statement was indeed issued by the PDP National Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan”.

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According to Nabena, the PDP’s statement on Tuesday is disturbing “because it coincided with the situation field report we received of the PDP cloning Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) for use in the Osun governorship election.”

“The PDP’s now public rigging plans is a red flag that require urgent probe by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and relevant security agencies. We also call on well-meaning Nigerians and civil society organisations to speak out and resist the PDP’s retrogressive plan which threatens our democracy.

“Perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded that our democracy is maturing and its crude election rigging methods such as ballot box snatching (recently displayed during last weekend by-election in Kogi state), announcement of concocted election results and other anomalies are no longer acceptable in our elections.

“We are confident that the good people of Osun will resist the PDP’s deployment to takeover Osun State by force. The people’s will; the people’s vote is supreme. It must be respected and defended. That is democratic, progressive and the right thing.

“We conclude by reminding the PDP of new realities as succinctly captured by President Muhammadu Buhari, ‘…the old Nigeria is slowly but surely disappearing and a new era is rising…’ Unlike undemocratic practices under past administrations, elections under the APC administration are increasingly freer and fairer — a very significant feat in our march for lasting and representative democracy”, APC added.

 

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