Enugu: APC accuses PDP of plans to rig council poll; PDP, ENSIEC react

From; Madu Ezenoha, Enugu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that it has uncovered plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the November 4, 2017  local government election in the state.

APC cautioned the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to resist the temptation to collude with PDP to rig the election.

APC said that it has also uncovered plots by ENSIEC to send voting materials late to APC strongholds so that the electorate would be frustrated.

The State Publicity Secretary of APC, Enugu state chapter, Mrs. Kate Ofor, who made the allegations in a statement released in Enugu at the weekend, vowed that her party would seriously resist any attempt to distort free and fair polls.

APC spokesperson advised ENSIEC not to send election materials to local government areas in the state where the caretaker chairmen appointed by the PDP-led government would switch the original with fake materials in order to write results in favour of PDP candidates.

“All Progressives Congress therefore, advises that election materials should be sent to the polling centres directly from ENSIEC local government offices on time,” she said.

Mrs. Ofor also accused PDP of intent to rig the election, saying that they intend to use the local government caretaker chairmen to execute the rigging.

She alleged that aside most of the ENSIEC commissioners being PDP card carrying members, the electoral body intends to recruit allies of PDP as adhoc staff “who will distort the results even at the polls as they are not ready to advertise, and train the adhoc staff”.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ENSIEC, Amaka Agbo dismissed the allegation of any plan to rig the election in favour of any party.

She said that such allegations were to be expected but that the Commission would do her best to deliver free and fair election.

The Secretary of PDP in the state, Cletus Akalusi when contacted said his party would address every allegation against her at the appointed time, which would be after the party’s primaries.