APC Warns PDP Against Election Rigging

Ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, has warned the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against rigging the polls, saying that any attempt to manipulate the exercise would be met with dangerous consequences.

The APC accused the PDP-led government in the state of conniving with the Nigerian Army to rig the Presidential election, having realised that there was no way its candidate and incumbent president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan can defeat the APC flag bearer, General Muhammadu Buhari.

APC also said that it was worried by reports that the leaders of the security agencies had jettisoned every appearance of impartiality for Saturday’s election, rather turning themselves into storm troopers for the Presidency.

Addressing a news conference after an APC stakeholders meeting in Kaduna State on Wednesday, the party’s governorship candidate, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who read the press statement on behalf of other party leaders and contestants, said that the party had uncovered plots by the PDP and Army to use acts of intimidation, harassment and restriction of movement orders against their members to rig the election.

He alleged that the conduct and utterances of the PDP leadership does not inspire confidence that it is committed to a credible electoral process, hence it has devised a means to manipulate the election.

El-Rufai also accused the PDP of training over 1,000 thugs and acquiring dangerous weapons to be used to cause violence during the election, in order to give room for imposition of curfew on the state or declaring the election inconclusive.

The Governorship candidate therefore urged the military not to allow itself to be used to subvert the constitution which they pledge to uphold.

But in a swift reaction, the PDP refuted the allegation, describing it as false and baseless.

The state PDP Chairman in an interview with our correspondent accused the APC of being the ones causing trouble in the state.