Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State yesterday raised the alarm on alleged plan by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to manipulate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines in the forthcoming presidential and governorship elections slated for February 25 and March 11 respectively.
Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Valentine Onojeghuo, at a press conference in Warri said top members of the ruling party had been holding clandestine meetings with some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to perfect plans of manipulating the BVAS machines to the advantage of their party.
He said a petition in which information about the alleged plan of the ruling party had been submitted to the national headquarters of INEC in Abuja as well as the heads of all the security agencies.
According to Onojeghuo, a candidate of the ruling party in the state for Delta Central Senatorial district has been clandestinely meeting with the officials of INEC towards manipulating the BVAS machines to give them an advantage in coming
elections.
He also alleged that seven commissioners in the ruling party were collecting PVCs from INEC officials to be used with the BVAS machines that were being planned to be diverted for private use in the elections.
“They have wound down their campaigns and are now strategizing on how to manipulate the elections to their advantage. Given what happened in Osun elections, we think it is necessary to alert the world about the ignoble plans of the PDP in the state towards the forthcoming Presidential and Governorship elections in Delta State”, he said.
Mr. Onojeghuo, who was flanked by two officials of the party, declared: “We are not taking this issue lightly. We want the INEC and heads of security agencies to investigate out petitions immediately.
“The PDP agents are also presently in Abuja working with unscrupulous INEC officials. So we want the INEC Boss to take urgent steps and stop their moves. We want credible, free and fair elections in the state”.
The APC spokesman also alleged that the ruling party planned to use APC branded vehicles to cause mayhem before the next week elections in an attempt to tarnish the image of the party.
“The branded vehicles, made in semblance of colours and logos of the APC, are hidden in the premises of the Premium Trust Bank, along Maryam Babangida Way, Asaba. The bank is believed to belong to the Okowa family.
“The intention of Okowa and the PDP is to use these vehicles for thuggery, inflict harm and injuries on innocent citizens in other to bring public opprobrium and hate upon APC as we approach the general elections,” he alleged.
