TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staffers and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are colluding to rig the gubernatorial election in Osun state.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party alleged that some INEC IT staffers had “handed over the entire electoral register for the state to the special assistant to a top PDP national official, with a view to manipulating it to disenfranchise many voters”.

APC urged those who may see this as outlandish to recall that an INEC official tampered with the voters register used during the last gubernatorial election in Anambra state to remove the names of many voters.

It also alleged that the plan to tamper with the electoral register for Osun, coupled with INEC’s delay in issuing permanent voters register to registered voters, especially those who are APC members in the state, highlighted PDP’s desperation to win the forthcoming governorship election at all costs.

”The truth is that the PDP knows it cannot win a free and fair election in Osun state. Everything so far points to the fact that our party will win by a landslide if the election is free, fair, credible and transparent. In fact, a highly-credible opinion poll carried out by the globally-recognized TNS-RMS shows that the APC leads among voters in the state by 73%, compared to a paltry 19% for the PDP,” the party said.

”Apparently stunned by the reality on the ground, as against the propaganda by the PDP, the party’s candidate, Iyiola Omisore, quickly conjured his own opinion poll, purportedly carried out by USAID, showing that he is leading the APC candidate and incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

”Fortunately, USAID has denied carrying out any opinion poll in Osun state, thus putting a lie to the PDP’s claim. There is no better indication of desperation than this.”

APC urged the people of Osun state in general and APC members and supporters in particular “to be very vigilant in other to thwart the evil machinations of those who are averse to credible and violence-free elections”.

”As we have said repeatedly, we ask for nothing beyond a level playing field for all the candidates in the August 9th election in Osun state. Also, we want all registered voters to be able to exercise their franchise without hindrance, since popular participation is the bedrock of democracy.

”If the voting is done in the best tradition of free, fair and credible elections, whoever wins or loses will have no problem accepting the outcome.’