The PDP claimed the APC has not been able to meet the 25 per cent threshold and is desperately seeking to get it at all costs.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Peoples Democratic Party’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Council has alleged that the All Progressives Congress is colluding with electoral officials to doctor figures of the general elections.
Speaking on Monday on behalf of the campaign organisation in Abuja, Dele Momodu accused the APC of cheating in several states including Lagos, Imo and Ebonyi.
He said, “We have been following the trend of post election activities and it is our desire to reset certain wrong impressions being created to confuse the public.
“From already collated results data we are proud to inform Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party remains in the lead in the election of last weekend.
“We remain the only political party which has secured the necessary 25 per cent spread across 24 states in the country. No other political party has been able to cross this essential constitutional requirement.
“As a matter of fact, we have it on credible grounds that our main opponent in this election, the All Progressives Congress party, is currently mounting pressure in attempts to have their way to secure 25 per cent performance in both Imo and Ebonyi states.
“It is on the merits of this intelligence that we are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to apply necessary precaution before announcing procured results in the presidential election from these two states. Our presidential candidate had yesterday urged the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to instruct Collation Officers to upload results from the Polling Units to the INEC server to avert those results from being compromised by some Governors of the ruling party who were shopping for numbers to make up for their shortfalls.”
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The PDP claimed the APC has not been able to meet the 25 per cent threshold, adding that INEC should not cave in to alleged pressure from the APC to buy advantages for itself.
The party further said, “Similarly, we have it on good grounds that the APC is currently making attempts to shore up votes from Lagos State to their advantage. From already collated results, the APC is not leading in Lagos and we have credible information that they are currently shopping for means of manufacturing humongous figures to their advantage in the state.
“Similarly, we urge the Independent National Electoral Commission to resist the pressure being mounted on it by the APC to compromise the Lagos Central Senatorial District election where the Peoples Democratic Party is in clear lead. We further urge the electoral commission to put substantial surveillance on Lagos State. The APC are doing ALL within their means to cheat in Lagos.
“There is extensive ongoing manipulation of results in Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara, among other states where result sheets are being changed and uploaded. INEC MUST not declare any result until the BVAS machines are verified. In areas where the PDP is winning, results are being cancelled.
“To the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, we want to specially thank you for the terrific work that you have done to put our great party on the path towards victory in the election and to assure you that the Recover Nigeria project is on course.
“Through your incredible efforts, we are happy to inform you, our members, that we are doing extremely well in the Northwest and the Northeast. We are competitive in the South South and North Central. No other party has the kind of leading edge that we have in this election.”
The PDP urged its members to disregard the alleged mind games being played by the APC.
“From our standpoint, the APC has no justifiable path to winning this election. Unlike the PDP, the APC lacks the spread, and unlike the PDP, the figures are not adding up for them.
“Therefore, we urge PDP members to be vigilant, remain steadfast, and be peaceful,” it said.