Udom, INEC ‘unholy alliance’ claim: Produce evidence A’Ibom PDP challenges YPP

The People’s Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State has challenged the Young Progressives Congress in the state to produce evidence of its claims that there is an ‘unholy alliance’ between Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, to rig the rescheduled Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections in favour of the PDP.

Recall that the state chairman of the YPP party, Apostle Nyeneime Andy had while briefing newsmen Wednesday in Uyo allege that Governor Emmanuel visited and spent several hours with INEC officials to rig the March 18 polls.

Andy had claimed that the party had received intelligence report of an alleged plots to rig in favour of the ruling PDP in the state and called on the police, the DSS and the International Observers to take curious interest in Akwa Ibom to avert the plot.

“From credible intelligence, the State PDP with the latitude of INEC has perfected plans to rig the forthcoming polls as follows:

“Voting materials meant for Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency must not leave INEC office until 12.30pm on Saturday March 11th, 2023.

“Voting materials meant for the entire Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District must not be completed in some Federal Constituencies and must not leave INEC office before 10.00 a.m.

“Voting materials meant for Eket Senatorial District must leave INEC office on time as it is the presumed ‘sure bet zone’ for the PDP as the State Governor hails from there. The early departure of materials for the district is to be well publicised to distract attention or disclaim any accusation about late transportation of materials to any other locations.

“PDP thugs in company of illegal police officers and some genuine military personnel will be drafted to strongholds of opposition parties (emphasis was on YPP) to disrupt election through violence and destroy all the voting materials and even pretend to kidnap some INEC officials so as to exonerate INEC from the deal.

“We are also alerted that some BVAS have been preset with figures in favour of PDP before commencement of voting. In such instances, the 0000 on the BVAS will not be seen” Andy had claimed.

But debunking the claim in a statement on Thursday, titled ” 2023 Elections and YPP’s First Alibi for Looming Defeat” the State PDP Publicity Secretary,Mr Borono Bassey challenged the YPP chairman who is an overseer of an Uyo-based church to produce evidence to buttress his claims without which he should not stand before the pulpit to preach against the sin of lying.

The statement reads in part: ”We challenge Apostle Nyeneime Andy to produce even the tiniest shred of evidence that show that Governor Udom Emmanuel had visited INEC office on the said day, else the lying State Chairman of YPP should never stand before his Church to preach against the sin of lying.

“We are shocked that the ill-fated and makeshift Political Party – YPP, is using reverse psychology to make false accusation on the electoral umpire, INEC, our Party, the PDP and Governor Udom Emmanuel, given that the security agencies have received several tip-offs about heinous activities by known YPP Chieftains ahead of the forthcoming elections.

“For instance, there are videos showing notable YPP chieftains in the State at INEC offices in different Local Governments in Akwa Ibom State dishing out crude intimidations and making attempts to assault staff of INEC.

” We must warn that our Party will not tolerate a repeat of this kind of behaviour as we have petitioned the Security agencies to ensure that they deploy video surveillance all over the state and also apprehend Chieftain of any political party who makes effort to mar the smooth, credible and peaceful conduct of the rescheduled~ elections.

“Again, the PDP and the Security Agencies in Nigeria are also in receipt of intelligence from even top-ranking members of the YPP whose hearts still lie with the PDP that the YPP has ferried in thugs from neighboring states and are camping them in facilities owned by known YPP chieftains in preparation to use in executing the plan in their playbook which is to unleash unimaginable violence on voters across the State.

“On receipt of this life-threatening intelligence, we had alerted security agencies who have swung into actions to investigate and nip any chance of the execution of these atrocious plans by YPP in the bud.

“We urge millions of Akwa Ibom people to again troop out to their respective polling units and use their Permanent Voters Cards and massively vote the PDP and consequently to send a clear message to these elements who wish to drag our state backwards”.