APC Alleges Plan By PDP To Force Election Postponement

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) Friday accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of plotting to instigate violent protest aimed at aborting the conduct of the general elections.

  In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party strongly condemned the reported plan by the advocates of the postponement of next month’s general elections to sponsor protests across the country against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a way of forcing the commission to shift the elections, scheduled for February 14th and 28th.

  The party claimed that those pushing for the elections to be shifted are also seeking to instigate the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who will serve as part of the ad-hoc staff for INEC during the polls to say they do not feel safe to be part of the elections in certain parts of the country.

  It expressed optimism that even if the NYSC members refuse to participate in the elections in certain parts of the country, which will be within their right, there will be no shortage of those willing to serve as ad-hoc staff. 

  It noted: ‘’It has also come to our notice that these election-shift proponents are holding clandestine meetings with various groups, including a section of the media, to recruit them for their dubious campaigns to force a postponement of the election,’’ APC said, adding, however, that all the shenanigans of the election-shift advocates will fail, as Nigerians have seen through them and have stepped up their collection of PVCs in readiness for the elections.

  It noted further ‘’The assurances by INEC, that 65 million PVCs are now ready and that the remaining 3.8 million will be ready in due course have heightened the belief among Nigerians that the electoral umpire is indeed ready, willing and able to conduct the elections as scheduled.

  The party called on INEC to urgently decentralise the distribution of the PVCs to the polling units to enhance collection efforts, and appealed to Nigerians to make extra efforts to collect their PVCs so that the PDP and the Presidency will run out of excuses for trying to dodge the elections.