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Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of what it claims to be agents of Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) threatening and forcing INEC presiding officers, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) personnel, to endorse pre-filled result sheets in favour of the APC in some local government areas in the ongoing governorship election in Kogi State.
The party alleges that this is ongoing in Okene and Okehi local government areas in Kogi Central Senatorial district, where the Governor and the APC are allegedly desperate to allocate fictitious votes and fabricate results in their favour.
In a press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said that owing to the magnitude of the alleged manipulation, the PDP urges the INEC not to accept any results coming from the Okene and Okehi local government areas as they have already been compromised.
“Moreover, the PDP and other stakeholders in this election will never accept manipulated results coming from the two local government areas,” he said.
“The party also calls on security authorities to immediately detail a reinforced team to Okene and Okehi to save the lives of the Presiding Officers and the NYSC members from the APC and agents of Yahaya Bello.
“The INEC and security officials must take immediate steps to arrest the situation as the development is already causing tension and could lead to the electorate having no option than to resort to self-help to defend their democratic rights,” the statement added
“The PDP also urges INEC to note that the APC is manipulating the electoral process, causing deliberate delays and swapping of election materials, all in a bid to cause confusion in the process.
“For instance, in Kabba/Bunu Okekoko Ward Unit 9, the baby units have been reduced from two to one, a situation that will lead to disenfranchising of voters to reduce votes belonging to the PDP.
“Also the serial number on the ballot papers brought to the area is different from numbers on ballot papers released in Abuja for the area. Such swapping of ballot papers is a deliberate ploy to cause confusion and derail the electoral process in PDP stronghold.
“The PDP therefore urges INEC to immediately correct all the anomalies as every genuine vote cast must be made to count in this election,” the party’s statement concluded.
