The South East zone of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has raised alarm over plot by the Anambra State government to rig the forthcoming local government election in favour of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
The zonal leadership of the party represented by the Publicity Secretary, who is also the chairman of the screening and supervision committee for the party in the state, Hon Ali Odefa stated this in Awka during a press briefing with journalists, yesterday.
Odefa said the zonal leadership of the party has discovered that the result of the election which would be conducted on 5th October has already been computed and awaiting announcement by the chairman of the Anambra State independent Electoral Commission, Mr Sylvester Okonkwo.
“We have it on good source that the result of the election has been computed and awaiting announcement, even when the actual election is yet to be conducted. We call on all Anambra people to come out and condemn this act,” Odefa said.
He spoke further that such act has labeled APGA as unprepared to conduct the election for fear of losing. He accused ANSIEC as giving itself out to the state government as a willing tool for the destabilization of the upcoming election.
The zone applauded members of the party in the state for giving the committee full support in the ongoing screening process, saying that the conduct of the people of the party have shown that they can come together and leave out their rancor to fight for the progress of the party.
Odefa said that about 400 councillorship aspirants and over 21 chairmanship aspirants have so far been screened, and that in a fair contest, the party will sweep the positions in the state. He said the committee is screening aspirants from all factions of the party, irrespective of what factions an aspirant comes from.
In a swift reaction, the Acting Chairman of Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Okonkwo refuted the allegation, saying that it is not true that it intends to help the state government rig the elections.
Okonkwo said he will ensure that all the participating political parties get a level playing ground in the election, while urging them to put their houses in order and go into the field to mobilize support for their political parties.
State Secretary of APGA, Mr Emeka Meze equally said there is nothing true about the allegation as members of the party are yet to hold its primaries to know who and who would be their candidates.
