Gov poll: Security agents manipulated results in favour of APC —PDP

ABUJA—The national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday picked holes on last Saturday’s governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, saying they were characterized by widespread irregularities, with alleged support by some security officers of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the advantage of All Progressives Congress, APC. PDP in a statement yesterday by National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, questioned the conduct of some INEC officials and security agencies, wondering if such officials were intimidated by APC’s blackmail and propaganda to deliver its candidates in the polls. The PDP, however, urged Nigerians and its supporters not to despair, but brace up and resist all anti-democratic and dictatorial tendencies. The party said it was repositioning to stand by the people by providing a credible opposition and returning to power in four years time, and directed all its elected and appointed officials to be ready to make sacrifices, ensure judicious use of resources and gear up for a rescue mission in the overall interest of Nigerians. It said: “Evidences abound of widespread irregularities across the country with INEC rejecting results from the strongholds of PDP candidates for no just cause while accepting the figures from those of the APC. “In Lagos, Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Niger, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Imo states, there are proofs of electoral manipulations ranging from underage voting, ballot stuffing and intimidation of PDP supporters to alteration of some aspects of the process in favour of APC. “In Abia state, but for the outcry of the people and timely intervention of the INEC headquarters which rejected the illegal cancellation of results from three local governments and strongholds of the PDP by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even after they have been announced by the returning officers, the PDP would have been robbed of its well deserved victory in those areas.”