From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Concerned Anambra Youths For Good Governance has raised alarm over an alleged plot by All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to redeploy the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to rig the upcoming state election in its favour.
The group alleged that certain APC leaders in the state and Abuja have perfected plans to remove the REC in the state to bring in another loyal REC to pave the way to rig the election in favour of APC in the November 6 election.
A statement by the spokesperson of the group Mazi Emeka Ikechukwu urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure a free, fair and credible election in the Anambra governorship election for peace and justice.
‘Information available to it from credible sources has it that there is a high powered move to redeploy INEC REC in Anambra State whom the party has seen as a stumbling block towards its unholy and inordinate desire to take over power through the backdoor.’
Ikechukwu alleged that the APC candidate is unelectable in a free and fair election as he lost the bid to return to the Senate as he was defeated in his polling booth by a relatively young and unknown party.
‘Recall, that in 2007, Uba using federal might allegedly rigged the Anambra Election brazenly that the number of votes which he won was more than the number of registered voters.
‘Anambra people must be awake to resist any plans by the APC to rig the election. Any plans to use any group to cause security issues that will pave way for the deployment of the military in Anambra State to intimidate Anambra voters will be resisted.’
The group recalled that in the last general election Kano State was on the verge of losing to the opposition until the Federal Government using INEC and security agencies that thwarted the will of the people.
It noted that the same scenario also played out in Rivers State but for the determination of the people to resist the military which was deployed and used to rig the election.
The group called on the INEC National Chairman to remain steadfast and unswayed as the loyalty of the Commission must be to the people of Nigeria and therefore must resist any plans by the APC to usurp the independence of the Commission in the forthcoming Anambra election.
Ikechukwu called on Anambra Youth, Women, Religious and Traditional Rulers, President Generals of the various town Unions to be awake and ensure that the alleged plan of APC to turn Anambra State to Imo State becomes futile.
When contacted for comment the media unit of APC candidate Sen Uba in the state refused to join issues with any group on unfounded allegations.
It noted that the APC was concerned about mounting an issues-based campaign to appeal to the people of the state to vote for its candidate in a free and fair election.