March 02, (THEWILL) – The Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says it has uncovered plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to unleash mayhem and rig the March 11 governorship election in the state, even as the PDP denied the allegations.
In a statement issued in Makurdi, on Thursday, the Publicity Secretary of APC, Daniel Morgan Ihyomun, said the party gathered from credible intelligence that the PDP in Benue State has planned to visit mayhem on the people, members of the APC and perceived enemies and to rig the forthcoming governorship and State Assembly Elections.
“This is in reaction to their crushing defeat in last Saturday’s, 25th February 2023, presidential and national assembly polls. Already, the PDP has started unleashing mayhem in parts of the State. Several perceived enemies and those who collected Dollars in order to influence voters in their respective communities for the PDP have been reportedly manhandled by thugs in Government House Makurdi, he said.
According to Ihyomun, a secret meeting was also held recently in the Government House, where a plan was allegedly hatched to rig the governorship and state Houses of Assembly election that is slated for Saturday, March 11, 2023.
“The plan is to totally boycott BVAS, influence the reposting of INEC Staff like Polling Officers, Collation Officers and Returning Officers, create violence in APC strongholds, engage in vote buying and use members of the recently established Community Volunteer Guards to instigate crisis in border communities to whip up anti-Fulani and religious sentiments amongst the people for political gain,” he continued.
The APC Publicity Secretary explained that the mayhem had already begun with attacks in Gwer West, Guma and Kwande Local Government Areas in the state.
“We, therefore, want to put INEC on notice of this sinister plan so as to put modalities in place to check incidences of non-use of the BVAS during the gubernatorial and state Assembly election in Benue State, early opening and closing of polls on election day and the protection of polling units, collation centres and the protection of Staff,” he added.
The party called on all security agencies in the State to move and deal decisively with the enemies of the state, who are hell-bent on destroying the peace and tranquillity, urging the people of Benue to come out without fear or intimidation to vote for Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia and all the APC House of Assembly candidates and protect their votes.
The statement added that APC will improve the quality of life of all Benue people with sound policies and people-oriented projects and is prepared to end hunger and poverty.
In a swift reaction, the State Publicity Secretary and Deputy Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Campaign Committee, Mr Bemgba Iortyom, said Benue APC has every reason to fear since March 11 will be more about the local situation, people and what will be their fate under PDP, who have promised and resolved to sustain the prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law.
According to Iortyom, Benue PDP will maintain extra vigilance at the polling units and collation centres and insist on strict compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act for the conduct of the elections.
“PDP will progressively improve on its enforcement of anti-open grazing law as a proven antidote to the land-grab agenda of the herdsmen. Under APC, who have promised to repeal the law, which they have told the whole world is rather the reason for the atrocities of the herdsmen. Yet, it is on record that herdsmen attacks predate the law and if anything, the law to a great degree stemmed the tide of the territorial expansionist agenda of the herdsmen, which was being executed under the guise of freedom of nomadic Fulani herdsmen, who entered anywhere including farmlands with their cattle claiming a constitutional freedom of movement.
“The Benue wing of the cow-loving and people-hating party called APC is understandably jittery and has resorted to raising alarm in the hope they will be able to divert attention from the agreements with Miyetti Allah to grant the herdsmen much-coveted access to Benue lands in exchange for sponsorship with which APC hopes to win the governorship of the state,” he said.
The PDP Spokesman said, despite APC’s crying of a wolf where none exists, the PDP, led by Governor Ortom, will give them the beating they deserve come March 11, 2023.
