APC, INEC in Alliance to Rig 2019 Elections, PDP Alleges

INEC denies claim, challenges PDP to produce evidence

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) yesterday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of being in an unholy alliance with the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to rig the 2019 elections.

In a swift reaction, however, the INEC faulted the PDP’s claim, noting that there was nothing like unholy alliance between the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the APC and any other political party whatsoever.

The PDP made the allegation in a statement its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan yesterday, linking the APC plan to rig the 2019 elections to the recent decision of the party to adopt direct primaries.

As shown in its statement, the opposition party said it was aware that the Presidency forced the direct primaries on party members “to eliminate delegates’ participation and pave way for the allocation of millions of conjured votes, which they intend to use as basis to authenticate the fictitious votes they intend to declare for President Buhari at the general elections.”

The statement said it had also uncovers plots by the Buhari Presidency and the APC “to use direct primary to validate their plot to rig the 2019 general elections, particularly for President Muhammadu Buhari, who has become grossly unpopular ahead of the elections.

“Having eliminated contest within the APC, the presi- dency is now apprehensive of apathy against Buhari due to his increasing unpopularity. It plots to import non-members of the party to satiate the venue of the presidential primaries to create an impression of overwhelming popularity for Mr. President and use that to validate the fictitious votes they are conjuring for the presidential election.

“The PDP is reliably informed that this rigging plot is the reason APC aspirants to other positions, especially, APC state governors, are demanding for direct primaries instead of the indirect primaries earlier approved for them by their party. PDP cautions the Chairman of INEC, Prof Yakubu, to end the unholy alliance between his commission and the APC.”