The PDP says opposition parties are planning to kill defenceless INEC officials and to disrupt elections.
The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to attack some facilities belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.
“We have heard about the plot of some political parties, including the APC, Labour and the SDP, to bomb INEC offices at the grassroots,” the Rivers State PDP Director of Publicity and Communications, Ogbonna Nwuke, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Nwuke did not provide details of the alleged plot but he said the opposition parties were “planning to attack and kill defenceless electoral officers all in attempt to disrupt the elections and the collation of results”.
The PDP official made the claim while reacting to claims by five governorship candidates that the PDP is working in cahoots with INEC to rig Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
Mr Nwuke described the allegations by the candidates, including Tonye Cole of the APC, as “the banter of half – wits who are busy quarrelling with even the air that they breath while they quarell with their tools.”
The PDP official added, “These political parties that are accusing INEC and everybody, including security officials involved in the electoral process of conniving with the PDP to rig Saturday’s elections in the State are like farmers who failed to take advantage of the early rains to plant their crops.
“Simply put, these parties failed woefully to campaign effectively for their candidates while the PDP went round the State to sell its agenda to the people.
“Rather than campaigning among the people, they made this year’s election a media event. Now that they know the people are prepared to vote for the PDP, they are crying wolf.
“INEC is not a political party. This point must be stressed. Elections are won in the field where voters cast their votes, not at collation centres.
“The same political parties which are blowing hot air are the same ones who are planning to attack and kill defenseless electoral officers all in attempt to disrupt the elections and the collation of results.
“Council premises that INEC is planning to use are public facilities. They belong to the third tier of government and not the Rivers State Government which is the second tier of government. These facilities will be protected by security officials controlled by the Federal Government which is the first tier of government.
“On the day of elections, serving local government Council chairmen will not be found in their offices. INEC will take absolute control of such office complexes. The argument raised by these parties do not arise.
“These political parties which are threatening violence openly on television, who have raked up the issue of Abandoned Property and tried everything in their power to pitch non indigenes against the people of Rivers State are only singing the lullaby of defeat.
“We urge Rivers people to ignore them. We also urge Rivers people to vote massively for Siminalayi Fubara and all the candidates of the PDP.
“We have a track record in good governance that cannot be ignored. Governor Nyesom Wike has fulfilled the social contract entered into with the people
“Rotimi Amaechi, the leader of the APC, who has been opening his mouth and closing it failed while in office as Minister of Transportation to bring anything home. Let him point at one thing he brought home.
“It is a shame that such a leader who served as a one-time Governor of this great state will attempt to cover up his shortcoming while in office by spreading cheap lies.
“For the avoidance of doubt it is better to be identified with drinking whisky and doing great deeds like urbane English gentlemen do instead of breaking up families by taking women who belong to men like them to the other room.
“Rivers people know who the real serpent is. They know who the brood of vipers are. They know it is not certainly Governor Nyesom Wike who has offered constructive leadership to Rivers State and its people.”