…Accuse APC of planning violence, intimidation, vote buying
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nasarawa state chapter stakeholders have demanded for the immediate removal of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Urthman Ajidagba, over what they described as unholy alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the State governor, Abdullahi Sule ahead of this weekend’s governorship election.
They also accused the state chapter of APC and the governor of perfecting plans to unleash violence and intimidation on the voters across the state to secure victory in the poll.
The stakeholders, under the auspices of Concerned Nasarawa State Progressive, also losted some areas like Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Akwanga, Nasarawa Toto, Lafia and other places regarded as PDP strongholds as targeted places for the planned violence and intimidation.
Speaking at a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesman of the stakeholders, Comrade Manga David Ugbo, also alleged that they have directed the elected councilors to collate and summits names of 100 eligible voters each across all the polling units with their account number to buying votes.
“We wish to use this medium to condemn the unholy romance and hobnobbing going on between some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nassarawa State, particularly the State REC, who is clearly now in bed with the APC.
“We therefore call for his immediate removal as Nasarawa REC. We have lost confidence on his credibility to conduct free, fair, credible and transparent election in the state.
“We also call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other security agencies to ensure more deployment of security agencies to Nasarawa state on election duty with a view to ensuring peaceful election in the state during and after the election as the governor’s defeat is sacrosanct.
On the planned violence disruption of the poll, the stakeholders claimed that; “it has come to our attention through credible intelligence that the governor and the APC Nasarawa state chapter is not planning of winning this weekend’s  governorship election but snatching it victory through violence means.
“It has mobilised thugs from outside the state to help in  executing it nefarious and satanic agenda against the will of the good people of Nasarawa state who have rejected him and APC on account of poor performance as governor for the pass four years.
“The governor and the APC have perfected plans to execute this through violence means and voters intimidation across the state, particularly in Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Akwanga, Nasarawa Toto, Lafia and other areas where PDP is strong.
“We also have it on credible intelligence that the Governor has directed all the elected councilors to collate and summits names of 100 eligible voters each  across all the polling units in the state along side their account number with a view to buying votes,” the stakeholders alleged.