By Francis Sardauna in Katsina
As political parties kick-start campaigns preparatory to this year’s general election, the Katsina State Government has accused the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) of “buying” Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of its prospective supporters across the state.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, who made the accusation in Rimi Local Government during the state All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign Tuesday, said the act if unchecked by relevant authorities would truncate the success of the general election.
However, the state Chairman of PDP, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, in a telephone interview, described the allegation as “false and misleading”, adding that: “The allegation is an opposite of what APC is doing in the state.”
According to Inuwa, “Information available to us indicates that PDP is buying PVCs from voters. PDP women are visiting house by house in Katsina State collecting PVCs from women who are APC supporters in the name of empowerment programmes.
“Such cards are destroyed just to reduce the voting power of Katsina residents. The situation is a dangerous plot to subvert the will of the people who drumed total support for APC. Therefore, I called on you not to give your PVCs to anybody in the name of empowerment.”
Inuwa however called on PDP to convince Katsina residents to vote for them instead of adopting what he described as dubious tactics that will tarnish the “overwhelming” support of residents for APC.
When contacted, the state PDP Chairman, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, described the allegation as false and misleading.
He said: “The allegation is one of the antics of the APC aimed at distracting the people of Katsina from electing PDP candidates. APC is merely playing to the gallery and engaging in diversionary tactics to mislead the public.”
Majigiri, while challenging the ruling APC in the state to publish documentary evidence to prove its allegation, said: “It is the APC that is planning to buy PVCs for reasons best known to them.”
