APC, Presidency, INEC Planning To Rig Kogi Elections – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the presidency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some security forces are joining forces to rig the upcoming Kogi governorship elections in favour of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The Kogi elections are slated for Saturday November 21 to determine the next governor of the state.
In a press release made available to Naij.com, national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh said his party has “incontrovertible records of separate meetings, late last week between the Presidency and the new INEC leadership as well as with some top security officers, which were coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir Lawal.”








According to Olisa Metuh, Lawal has boasted to President Muhammudu Buhari that Kogi state will be wrestled from the PDP by all means.
Metuh continued saying the planned coup by the president to rig elections in the state is “all in the obsession to foist a one-party state in the country.”

The statement reads in part: “Intelligence information available to us shows that at the meeting with the new INEC leadership under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the commission was given orders regarding the posting of compromised personnel to strategic areas in the state to manipulate the card readers as well as the actual voting process in favour of the APC, with assurance of adequate protection by government security agencies, particularly the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
“We are aware that in another meeting also held in Abuja, the Presidency directed summoned security officials to ensure that the forces are maximally used to intimidate the people with a view to pave way for compromised INEC officials to manipulate the process, alter ballot figures and announce doctored results.
“To kick off the rigging process and underscore the desperation to take over Kogi state, the President himself is billed to be in the state on Wednesday to endorse the APC candidate, Alhaji Audu Abubakar, a man facing charges of corruption.
“It is to say the least, an embarrassing miscarriage of justice that the same President who rode to power on much publicized anti-corruption credentials, would not only superintend over plots to corrupt the electoral process, but also endorse a man facing corruption charges as his governorship candidate.
Olisa Metuh hailed the governor of the state Idris Wada who is bidding a re-election. The PDP chieftain said he is a man who the people of his state truly love and will vote for.

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi state

The national publicity secretary also warned new INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu against joining plans by the presidency to rig the elections saying the elections were an iron test of his capabilities.
Metuh also warned that the people of Kogi state and the PDP would not accept results at the polls that do not reflect the wishes of the people.
The statement concludes thus: “We call on all Nigerians and the international community to note that our president does not believe in free and fair election, though himself being a huge beneficiary of same.
“He has ordered the rigging of the November 21 governorship election in Kogi state, an ignoble planned overthrow of democracy, for which he is now leading in the front.”
In a related development, Solomon Arase, the Inspector-General of Police (IG) has revealed that Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) squad would be deployed to the state for the elections.