PDP planning to rig elections – el-Rufai

MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI

All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate in Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai on Tuesday raised the alarm that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state has planned to undermine the card readers in order to rig the Saturday’s election in the state.

Speaking in an Hausa programme ‘Barka da Waharka’ on the Freedom Radio monitored in Kaduna, el-Rufai said the party had uncovered plot that the PDP was presently working to undermine the Permanent Voters’ Card and card reader device so as to ensure massive rigging in the state.

El-Rufai, a former minister of the FCT, also said the ruling party was recruiting and arming thugs to disrupt the election.

According to him, the PDP led government has imported armed thugs to perpetrate the rigging of the election.

He alleged that the party (PDP) has sinister dealings with some unprincipled INEC officials in the state to carry out their sinister motive.

El-Rufai said, “We got credible intelligence and we alerted the police, military, DSS and INEC. They (PDP) have been running from pillar to pillar in the name of thwarting the effectiveness of card readers. They adopted using of armed thugs to intimidate voters and carry out ballot box snatching and stuffing of it (boxes) for declaration. They planned to withhold result sheets and other plots.

“They met with some security personnel and seal a deal with them. We submitted all the details with evidence(s) to the authorities. So, we are watching closely and will not give them a chance.”

Also, the All Progressives Congress in Imo State has raised the alarm over what it described as a plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to embark on massive rigging of Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections in the state.

Director-General, Rochas Okorocha Campaign Organisation, Mr. Iheukwumere Alaribe, who spoke to our correspondent in Owerri on Tuesday, said the APC was aware of the PDP’s plan to manipulate the electoral process with the assistance of some fake military personnel during the elections.

He said, “We know that, just like it did during the presidential and National Assembly elections, the PDP has decided to use fake soldiers to achieve its devious motives on Saturday.”