By Francis Ekpone
Ahead of the November 18 governorship election in Anambra state, the media arm of Willie Obiano Campaign Organisation; the Independent media support organisation (IMSO), has raised alarm over purported plan by the opposition, the All Progressives Alliance, APC to rig the election, warning them to drop the ambition as the group will put up a strong resistance against such move.
The executive director of the group, Ogbuefi Harris Chuma, said that the party, which he claimed has no well-defined manifesto, was secretly recruiting fake army officers in Imo state to raise young men that can invade polling stations and cart away ballot boxes.
“A few weeks ago, there were reports of secret recruitment into a fake Army being conducted in Imo state, another state being governed by APC, where the vulnerability of the unemployed youths is being exploited with N300,000, so they can invade Anambra to intimidate voters and cart away ballot boxes.
“This may have worked in other places, but we in Anambra, out of the love for our state, shall resist such inglorious moves by both the fake and real army being positioned for this. Desperation for power could indeed lead to lots of ignoble deeds, as being exemplified by the APC.
“The most worrisome aspect which seems to be the last in their chain of arsenal is the plan to militarise and intimidate the citizens of the state using state powers that will be monitored from Abuja. This is ugly and portends great danger considering the history of
the state democratically. This evil plan to shave the heads of Anambra people with despotic bravado will only stimulate resistance from Ndi Anambra and could lead to break down of law and order” he said.
It will be recalled that APGA, through its national chairman, Chief Victor Oye, Monday, alleged that two lorry loads of sensitive election materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, meant for the November 18 governorship poll in the state, were found in an undisclosed hotel in Okpuno, Awka south local government area of the state.
They claimed that the sensitive materials were imported into the state by the opposition. However, both the Anambra state police command and the Anambra state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have denied knowledge of such interception in the state.
Harris Chuma, the executive director of IMSO, in a chat with newsmen in Awka, registered his displeasure over the attitude of INEC and security agencies in the state, who he called to brace up for the challenges to avert plunging the state into perpetual anarchy.
“While some political parties are contributing to the electoral discourse by highlighting steps that would enrich the state, selling their manifestoes to the electorate, others have chosen
to remain in the past, feeling comfortable with their hopes in the ‘sanctity of electoral fraud’, as if Nigeria, has not left that pathway.
“Surprisingly, however, is the seeming indifference of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, once again, casting doubts on the level of ‘independence’ being ascribed to the body in this situation. By now, Nigeria should be making efforts to join the league of truly democratic nations in the world, where power belongs to the people, and not the members of the cabal who feel they can pull the strings at will to lord their wishes over the electorate” he laments. http://orientdailynews.com.ng/politics/apc-recruiting-fake-army-rig/Lalasticlala seun  |
