The Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the call by Governor Babangida Aliyu that the people should accept any result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in next month’s general elections was an indication that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was planning to rig and declare fake results. APC’s State Publicity Secretary Jonathan Vatsa alleged in a statement in Minna, the state capital, that the party “viewed the comment by the Governor as not only undemocratic but a clear message to Nigerlites and indeed Nigerians that the PDP had made up its mind to declare any result and want Nigerians to accept it in good faith”. But Aliyu said his call for the people to accept the results declared by INEC was misconstrued. The governor accused the opposition of fanning the embers of violence. Aliyu, when he hosted the Federation of Advocates for Fair, Credible and Peaceful Election, led by Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, on Wednesday, said the people must accept the results of next month’s elections because “power belongs to God and he chooses who to give”. Vatsa noted that by the governor’s utterances, the PDP was planning to rig the polls. The APC spokesman noted that the ruling party had no hope of winning the elections in a free and fair contest, following the rising profile of APC in the state. He added that the PDP’s hopes of retaining power had been further shattered by last Monday’s defection of its members, led by Deputy Governor Ahmed Musa Ibeto to the APC. Vatsa alleged that the PDP, in collaboration with the INEC, the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and other security agencies, planned to declare fictitious results, contrary to the people’s votes. The spokesman said APC would not accept any result that did not represent the people’s votes, adding that “enough is enough of election rigging in this country”. He said: “We want to also appeal to our supporters, who are yearning for a genuine change from bad governance at all levels in this country, to ensure that they collect their PVCs. They should come out to vote and protect their votes to end the years misery in the state and the country. “APC also wants to appeal to all its supporters not to be lured into selling their voter’s cards for any amount because that is the only weapon they can use to effect a genuine and positive change in the state and the country.” But the government, through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Israel Ebije, accused the APC of planning to cause trouble during the elections. It said: “How can the statement of Governor Aliyu, calling on Nigerlites to eschew violence and accept the outcome of the next general elections, be viewed as plans to rig? It is indeed very sad for any responsible political party to be directing the thinking of its supporters towards a violent poll, despite efforts by the leadership of the PDP and APC at the centre to have peaceful elections. “It must, therefore, be made categorically clear that the Niger State chapter of the APC is preparing for a violent poll. We must, therefore, hold them responsible, especially now that the party is blackmailing the governor, the PDP and INEC, even before the elections.” The post Aliyu planning to rig by imposing results, says APC appeared first on The Nation. posted on January 23, 2015 at 03:01AM jtnng.blogspot/
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 02:18:27 +0000
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