Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has concluded plans to release unclaimed Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the September 22 governorship election in the state.
This was contained in a statement, on Wednesday, by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi.
He called on security agents to monitor the activities of top INEC officials as well as the officials of APC to stop the plan.
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Odeyemi alleged that some unidentified influential members of the party (APC) had found accomplices in INEC with whom they had reached an agreement to release the PVCs.
Odeyemi said that, “APC was putting forward an unpopular candidate in Gboyega Oyetola, hence the growing desperation by the party to foist him on Osun people through every means possible, except ballot.”
He further said that activities of some prominent officials in INEC were being closely monitored since intelligence at the disposal of PDP confirmed brazen alliances between APC and some bigwigs within the electoral body in the state.
He further alleged that “some people branded as ‘APC agents’ had been combing several towns considered to be the stronghold of PDP in the state, buying PVCs from unsuspecting voters in order to reduce the voting strength of our party.”
He, however, declared that no amount of scheming would save APC from defeat in the poll.
Odeyemi urged the party to wake up to the reality of impending defeat, no matter how hard it tries to circumvent people’s wishes.
The statement reads in parts: “It has come to our attention that some bad eggs in the INEC setup are planning to release unclaimed PVCs to APC ahead of the September 22 governorship election in the state.
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“Since ‘see and buy’ that APC used in Ekiti may not work in Osun, the party is looking for other means to win the state for its unpopular candidate.
“The party is not limiting its rigging plans to this alone, its agents have also been going around the state, targeting especially our stronghold buying PVCs from the unsuspecting voters.
“We urge security agents to monitor more closely activities of senior INEC officials as well as those of APC bigwigs. They are also going around ‘harvesting’ PVCs of the unsuspecting voters in exchange for money.
“APC has failed in Osun and no rigging plans will succeed.”