A few days to the presidential and national assembly elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state has been accused of hoarding fake ballot papers and other electoral materials.
In the past, ballot papers were thumb printed before elections at the houses of notable chieftains of the PDP in Abia state including Mr. Ude Chukwu (Deputy Governor of Abia state), Chief Cosmos Ndukwe (Deputy Speaker, Abia state House of Assembly), Chief Chris Igwe ( Oil and Gas business mogul), Mr. Eme Okoro (SSG, Abia state) and Mr. Ukpai Aguwu (Special Adviser to Governor Ikpeazu.
Confirming the ugly development, a stalwart of the PDP in Isiukwuato LGA of Abia state, who craved anonymity, stressed that the PDP does not believe in credible elections, adding that the chieftains of the PDP are working closely with ad-hoc staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who are mainly youth corps members.
Registering his party’s displeasure over plans by the PDP to rig the forthcoming elections, a top chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abriba, Dr. Agba Ndukwe, called on security agencies to beef up security in Etiti-Ama, Nkporo, Adda (boundary between Abia and Ebonyi states), Arochukwu, Ozuitem and Amuda Ummuneochi.
He said, “the police and other security agencies must watch closely activities of the Deputy Governor of Abia state, Mr. Ude Chukwu, SSG Abia state, Chief Eme Okoro and Chief Chris Igwe ( a businessman) as they have perfected their moves to truncate electoral process with the support of Abia state government.
” Adda ( border community between Abia and Ebonyi states), Nkporo, Arochukwu, Ozuitem, Amuda Ummuneochi, Aba are locations used by the PDP agents for perpertrating electoral fraud.
” The former governor of Abia state and the PDP senatorial candidate for Abia Central, T. A Orji and his son, Chinedu, should also be closely monitored in order to prevent election manipulation. The duo are well-known for hoarding ballot papers and other electoral materials in their houses”.
While advising parents and guardians not to allow desperate politicians use their children and wards for rigging and violence, Ndukwe, urged the federal government to deploy additional security personnel to Abia state, adding that the PDP led Abia state government has mopped up funds from the local governments to commit electoral fraud.
Similarly, a member of the Social Democratic party (SDP) in Ohafia LGA of Abia state, Hon. Samsoon Chinedu has urged the people of Abia state to be vigilant as the PDP has concluded plans to rig the forthcoming elections.
Advising Abians to resist the desperate attempt of the PDP to shortchange the will of the people, Chinedu called on the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC), election observers and other stakeholders to work together in ensuring a credible election in Abia state.
