By Ndubuisi Orji
National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, yesterday, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun plans to rig the 2023 general election.
Secondus, in a statement by Ike Abonyi, said the Presidency and ruling party were not working towards free and fair polls in 2023.
He spoke against the backdrop of media reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is halting procurement of electronic voting machines for the 2023 polls because of the rejection of e-transmission of election results by the National Assembly.
He said since the existing Electoral Act and 1999 Constitution gave INEC the latitude to conduct credible elections, it does not need the National Assembly’s approval to perform its duties.
“From all indications, INEC is trying to abdicate its constitutionally assigned responsibilities of conducting free, fair and transparent elections hiding under the cover of delayed amended Electoral Act or rejection of e-transmission of results.
“Nigerians and democratic observers globally are watching INEC ahead of 2023 and it will be disastrous if the independent electoral body dances to the antics of the ruling party,” he said
Secondus said if INEC was able to conduct governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states in September and October last year respectively without the amended Electoral Act, it was possible to replicate the same feat all over the country.
Meanwhile, PDP has described plans by the Federal Government to re-introduce toll gates on some major highways as insensitive.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, said the planned re-introduction of toll gates would impose more hardship on Nigerians.
The opposition party recalled that…
