By Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja
THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged plot to disqualify its candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Mr. Musa Wada.
The party fingered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the masterminds of the alleged plot.
At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, spokesman for PDP Kola Ologbondiyan alleged that the electoral body and the APC were plotting to tamper with INEC’s Monitoring Report on PDP’s September 3 primary election.
The PDP said the objective of the alleged plot was to disqualify its governorship candidate. It vowed to resist the alleged plot.
The party also alleged that the APC has instigated security agencies to arrest and detain some key PDP leaders ahead of the poll.
It alleged that the move was to pave the way for Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC to emerge as the sole candidate for the poll.
Ologbondiyan said: “Of course, this plot is dead on arrival, as our candidate, Musa Wada, remains duly nominated through the statutory processes of our primary election, which was well covered in the Monitoring Report released by INEC. The PDP cautions that any attempt to tamper with its candidature will trigger the wrath of the people.
“The PDP is aware of every stage in this conspiracy against Kogi State as well as the actors involved. Already, our party is working with the people of Kogi State to stop them on their trail.
“The PDP is fully aware of the details of the meeting between the INEC officials and APC stalwarts on October 20 and 21 at the INEC office in Lokoja, on how to alter INEC’s position in its earlier released Monitoring Report, which confirmed the validity and transparency of our governorship primaries.
“Our party has full details of how the APC leaders came to the meeting, held at about 2pm, in a black Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with covered number plate; how the INEC officials arrived 10 minutes later in a Kia SUV as well as the pecuniary transactions that followed.
“Information available to our party shows that an INEC P.R.O. and a legal official of the commission were also at the meeting where they plotted how to ensure the alteration of the INEC’s Monitoring Report on our primary election before November 1.
“The PDP has been further made aware of how the conspirators have recruited 205 APC loyalists, who are being trained at Muslim Community School, Lokoja to impersonate the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members as polling and electoral officers in designated areas to enable the APC and INEC manipulate the process in such areas.”
“Now that these plots have been exposed and the conspirators already known by the people of Kogi state, the PDP cautions INEC to desist from any attempt to carry out APC’s nefarious bid.”
The party spokesman warned that the people of Kogi were ready and fully rallied to monitor electoral activities at the polling units and collation centres, as well as to protect their votes up to the final declaration of results.
He said anybody who attempts to subvert the determination of the electorate for a free, fair and credible process will only have himself to blame.
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Ologbondiyan went on: “The inevitable trajectory of change in this election as desired by the people of Kogi State, in their yearnings to end the suppressive, corrupt and anti-people administration of Governor Bello is clear and there is no way the people can allow anybody to undermine their determination for a new order.
“Also, intelligence available to the PDP indicates that over 30 Kogi leaders have been listed for arrest by the APC so as to put them out of circulation and pave the way for manipulations against the people.
“Our party cautions the APC and their compromised security agents to steer clear of our leaders and members during this election. This is because any unwarranted attempt on their freedom and safety will be resisted.
“Let it be known to the APC and security agencies that the people of Kogi, standing with the PDP, are ready for this election.”
PDP called on Nigerians to hold the APC and Governor Bello responsible should any harm befall any of its leaders or should any of them suddenly become a victim of unexplained accident, accidental discharge or sudden disappearance.
“The Kogi people are determined for a new leadership; their choice is already known and nothing can make them surrender their will to anybody, no matter what,” PDP said.
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