Few hours after the postponement of the general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Ondo State chapter of the All progressive Congress ( APC), has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the auspices of the State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko is planning to disrupt the election with violence.
The Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council, an arm of the APC in the state made this allegation at a news briefing in Akure, the state capital during the weekend.
The State Coordinator of the Group, Mr Ife Oyedele who addressed journalists on its behalf said the group has uncovered the alleged plan and has informed the security agencies and other stakeholders in the state to take action against the alleged plot.
According to him, ” details of the plan, upon verification, consists of mobilization of party thugs and specially hired hoodlums to induce and violate innocent voters on the day of the election. “The specific plan include the recruitment of 50 persons per each of the 3,009 polling unit monetized at N50,000 per person while 30 persons are recruited at each of the 203 wards at 30,000 each. Three coordinators are also being hired in each of the 18 local government areas at 100,000.
“The jobs of these hoodlums, tagged as party canvassers, which is already ongoing in the rural areas, is first to, in the name of the government, induce rural voters to submit their voters cards for a monetary price. They are also paying the sum of N2,000 to each voter for access to copy the VIN and other biodata of the voter on the Permanent Voters Card, PVC.
“The objective is to clone the unbought voters cards and mobilise for its use so that the cards can upon attempted use on Election Day, be invalidated by INEC’s new technology; the card readers which ultimately invalidates the original voters data and card after.
”The ultimate goal is to cause confusion during the voting process and ultimately disenfranchise thousands of legitimate voters.
“Secondly, the paid party agents are to embark on house to house campaign intimidating voters with false information and alarm about the danger and violence waiting to happen on the election date. The ultimate goal is to undermine security, dissuade voters and ensure voter apathy on the Election Day.”
Besides this, Oyedele also alleged that a total sum of N750m was being earmarked for the alleged plot to frustrate the electorate, calling on the people of the state to resist the alleged plan .
While calling on the INEC and security agencies in the state not to allow the alleged plan to be successful, the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign group said : ” we are shouting for the whole world to hear and bear witness against both INEC and security forces in the matter of this sophisticated rigging plan.”
” In spite of all of the above, the APC and the Buhari/Osibajo presidential campaign council is increasing its voters education by calling on all voters in the state to remain resolute, ignore intimidation and perform their civic responsibility as well as secure it by standing by their votes until results are declared,” he said .
However all efforts to reach the state commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade for his reaction on the allegation was unsuccessful as his telephone line was not going through as at the time of filling this reports .
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