The leading opposition party in Ekiti state, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called out the All Progressives Congress (APC) for insisting that civil servants in the state submit their BVN details in a fresh verification exercise it is conducting.
In a statement issued by the Chairman of the Segun Oni Media Advisory Council, Moses Jolayemi, SDP described the motive as “ulterior and suspicious in the wake of an election month”
He said:” We have it on good note that the APC led government of Dr. Kayode Fayemi has instructed civil servants in the State to provide their personal accounts details.
“We wager a bet that there is something sinister and clandestine about this move. Why would a government insist that people have to give their BVN details if it is not to either induce the voting population of the civil service or to blackmail them to do their biddings during the election”
Speaking further, Jolayemi noted that they have evidence of the allegation that the government is going round the state trying to mop up voters’ cards and the “trick of collecting the BVN details may be another desperate attempt to ensure they arm twist and hijack a process that should be fair.”
He noted that the APC led government is doing everything possible to ensure that underhand tactics are employed “before, during and after the election”
“It is no longer news in Ekiti that these are desperate times for a party that is on its way out. They are not popular and they have resorted to threats, blackmail, coercion, cajoling and vindictiveness to ensure they cling to power
“ This is quite unfortunate and we are alerting members of the public that they should expect the unusual in these end time of the APC in the State.
“ The workers are themselves begging us to protect them from the intimidation, harassment and brigandage of these political leeches that are desperate to clutch to power even though the people have rejected them.”
Jolayemi further insisted that the federal government should warn the APC led government in the state against heating up the polity and introducing a” strange style of bribing called ‘Dibo ko se obe” which means “Vote and cook a pot of soup’ which is an euphemism for bribery.
We challenge the government to ensure a level playing field by making sure this “BVN collection from civil servants is not a strategy to induce voters.
“ It is a refrain now in Ekiti that APC wants to outspend any party to clinch the seat but the people are determined to resist this filthy lucre and vote for the good future of their children which the Social Democratic Party has guaranteed for all,” he said.
