The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national leadership has alleged of a deliberate attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disenfranchise its members and supporters in Lagos State by refusing to release Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to them.
The party in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja, accused INEC officials of conniving with the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state to frustrate the distribution of the PVCs in PDP strongholds as well as to non-indigenes in the State.
PDP lamented what it claimed to have observed as “unacceptable, illegal and part of the criminal plot by the APC to hold on to power in the face of its dwindling popularity among the people who are now eager to vote en mass for the PDP and end APC’s dictatorial rule in the state.
“While we restate our commitment to a peaceful and credible elections come February 14th 2015, we will not accept any attempt to scheme us out in any state or states controlled by the APC,” it noted.
Metuh claimed that the APC has been jittery over the spiking popularity of President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP governorship candidate in the State, Jimi Agbaje, and now seeks to compromise the electoral process by manipulating the distribution of the PVCs.
Alleging that the electoral body has refused to check the trend notwithstanding repeated concerns raised by its state chapter and other well-meaning Nigerians, the PDP said the onus now lies on INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega and the leadership of the commission to prove their innocence by immediately intervening and ensuring that all eligible voters in Lagos receive their PVCs accordingly.
It further requested the Commission to thoroughly investigate the matter and work to sanction all those involved as a way of restoring public confidence in the electoral process in the State.
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