TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of conniving with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to deny non-indigenes in APC-controlled states their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

In a statement on Thursday, Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the PDP, described the development as a “crime against the electoral process”, adding that “the party had received overwhelming evidence from citizens in APC states following its earlier alarm that non-indigenes who form the bulk of PDP supporters in Lagos were being denied their PVCs”.

PDP further alleged that besides Lagos, the same practice was also being perpetrated in other APC controlled states including Kano.

“Since our alert on Lagos state, we have continued to receive calls and comments from citizens from local governments and wards in APC states confirming that the collaboration between some INEC officials and the APC to shut out non-indigenes in the states, made up mainly of our supporters, is deeper than earlier thought,” the party said.

“Indeed, this inexcusable misconduct is also being perpetrated in Kano, Edo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Kwara among other APC controlled states where fraudulent INEC officials and the APC are orchestrating hitches to disenfranchise non-indigenes.

“Evidence of this crime abounds in Alimosho and Amuwo-Odofin Local governments of Lagos states; Nasarawa local government and Sabon Gari area of Kano state as well as other strategic places where PVCs belonging to non-indigenes are even burnt to ensure that they did not get to their rightful owners.

“We know that the aim is to deny the PDP of its well-deserved victory in APC states since over 90 percent of these non-indigenes are supporters of the PDP and will vote enmasse for President Goodluck Jonathan and other candidates of our great party at the elections. We are aware of a script already prepared to rationalize the eventual non-participation of the non-indigenes by attributing it to voter apathy.”

Urging its supporters in the affected states to remain calm and law-abiding, it charged the leadership of INEC to take immediate steps to halt the trend and ensure the arrest and prosecution of its officials involved in the alleged crime.

PDP emphasised that “any delay in this direction is capable of sending a wrong signal to the electorate and other stakeholders in the 2015 elections”.

The party also urged INEC to reinforce the confidence in the process by ensuring that all eligible voters received their PVCs accordingly.