PDP alleges move by APC to rig elections in Cross River
By Tunde Opalana
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted of furtive moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to clamp down on Nigerians as well as compromise the electoral systems in Cross River State in a desperate bid to rig Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
The PDP said intelligence available to it revealed that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, has allegedly compromised some members of the Election Special Forces detailed from Abuja for the elections in the State.
The party added that it was aware that the said operatives led by a Commissioner of Police were taken to the Government House in Calabar where Governor Ayade reportedly handed them a list of 150 prominent opposition members and supporters who he allegedly ordered to be arrested and taken out of circulation before and during the elections.
National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba in a statement on Thursday said further information indicated that Governor Ayade also provided the alleged compromised security operatives with 14 trucks and other vehicles to hound, arrest and convey the said opposition members to secret detention facilities in the State Capital.
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The intention of the APC, said the party, “is to use the security operatives to harass the opposition, instill fear in the people, create tension and cause voter suppression in the State having realized that the people have rejected the APC and its Presidential and National Assembly candidates due to their manifest failures.”
The PDP said it is however imperative to caution Governor Ayade and the alleged compromised security operatives to note that “Cross River State is a stronghold of the PDP; that the people of Cross River State firmly stand with the PDP and our Presidential and National Assembly candidates and can never be cowed or subjugated by anybody in this election.
“The sinking Governor Ayade and the APC must know that Cross Riverians cannot be subdued; they are now, more than ever, ready to resist the APC in this move to subvert their Will at the elections.
“Our Party calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw the said Commissioner of Police from Cross River State so as to avert a possible breakdown of Law and Order in the State.”
The party also charged INEC to note the nefarious activities of the APC in Cross River State and take urgent steps to immune its system as well as ensure credible elections that only reflect the will of the people of the State.
