APC Hunting for PVCs, PDP Alleges

APC Hunting for PVCs, PDP Alleges

Provide evidence, ruling party replies opposition party

Adedayo Akinwale and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Organisation has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is hunting for Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) as part of its desperate efforts to avoid defeat in the 2019 polls.

This allegation is coming a week after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) raised the alarm that politicians were making desperate efforts to buy PVCs from officials of the commission.

But the APC’s Presidential Campaign Council has debunked PDP’s allegations and challenged the main opposition party to provide proof to support its claims.

PDP’s spokesperson, Prince Kassim Afegbua, told THISDAY that the 2019 elections would be a referendum against hunger, poverty, insecurity, killings, deprivations, malnutrition and other forms of inhuman conditions which this government has subjected Nigerians to.

He said, “If there is any political party that is buying PVC, APC is it because they are scared stiff about the resolve of Nigerians to vote them out in 2019.

“They know the people are angry as a result of their failure to deliver on electoral promises and by 2019, there will be a referendum against hunger, poverty, insecurity, killings, deprivations, malnutrition and other forms of inhuman conditions which this government has subjected us.”

“APC can do any ritual to retain the seat of power, but they would be disappointed by the clear resolve of Nigerians to reject them at the polls. INEC must remain resolute and forward looking in the interest of greater majority of Nigerians”

“It must not bow to the whims and caprices of the ruling party who have been using Tradermoni to purchase voters cards and outright vote buying.”

Afegbua added that APC is utterly confused and panicky about the 2019 elections, stressing that the ruling party’s actions thus far have exposed its notorious intention to apply crude methods to undo the electoral process.

According to him, “INEC must resist every possible temptation that will render the 2019 elections to be another circus show by the desperation of the APC-led federal government.”

Reacting to a media report that INEC is under pressure to expunge the display of results at polling units from its electoral guidelines in 2019, Afegbua insisted that the electoral body must work by applying the necessary rules and regulations that would give birth to free, fair and credible elections.

He noted that INEC’s reputation is at stake and it must live above board to ensure that the process meets the conditionality of credible election.

Afegbua noted that whether the federal government wants to systematically force a postponement or not, Nigerians have become wiser and would not succumb to the pranks and manipulations of such an unpopular government .

He said, “while we do not subscribe to the claim that ASUU strike can affect the use of personnel for elections, the mere fact that ASUU has been on strike for months is a sore thumb for this aimless administration of Baba Go Slow.”

Meanwhile, the APC presidential campaign council has debunked the allegation that it has been buying PVCs in order to use same to rig this year’s general elections.

In a swift response yesterday, the Director, Strategic Communications of the APC campaign council, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Festus Keyamo, asked PDP to stop making unsubstantiated allegations.

He said: “We simply need proof of this, like names, place, date.”.

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