C’River PDP alleges plot by ruling party to rig guber election
The former Deputy Governor of Cross River State, who is the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP 2023 Sandy/Emana for Governor campaign Director General, Barr. Efiok Cobham has alleged that the ruling party in the state has put up collaborative plans to rig the governorship election on Saturday.
The alert was raised on Thursday night at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press centre during a world press conference.
He said, “Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC,) in the state, and Senator Ben Ayade held a meeting with over 200 supervising officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Peregrino Hall on Wednesday. Well”
Alleging that, “There is a circular directing the state security apparatus with the code name Rapid Response Squad to move to the Northern Senatorial district where his party is very strong with instructions for a stop and search operation, it has also been noted that they have gone into villages to force village heads and their subjects to vote only for the ruling party or have their certificates withdrawn”
Stressing that the PDP as a party viewed the directive as the militarisation of the election and compromised he, therefore, expressed worry that such an act if not addressed might lead to election malpractice.
On her part, the deputy governorship candidate of PDP, Lady Amana Imawe alleged that “The traditional institutions in the Southern Senatorial district are calling on the people to come out and vote for the ruling party as their jobs are being threatened”
Also stressing that “The security agencies are meant to serve everyone and lamented that Cross River police are seen to have been compromised”
Also speaking, the former Commissioner for Information, ASU Okang, also said, “The APC has decided to employ a tool of intimidation instead of allowing the people to use their conscience to choose and elect leaders of their choice”
