The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has alleged plot to sack the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, months before the 2023 elections.
The group also claimed that the mastermind of the plot were working to deactivate the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) from the commission’s server and also stop the electronic transmission of results during next year’s elections.
CUPP spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who spoke at a press briefing, in Abuja, yesterday, vowed that opposition political parties would resist the plots even as it would petition the United Kingdom, United States of America, and other foreign missions about the alleged conspiracy to compromise the polls.
“Chairmen of CUPP and heads of political associations have intercepted intelligence of an alleged fresh plot against the 2023 election and this time being coordinated by leading figures of the ruling APC party to perfect a plot to intimidate INEC leadership into abandoning the use of electronic transmission and uploading of election results to the INEC server; deactivation of the BIVAS machine from INEC server.
“We, the chairmen and leaders of different political parties here (AA, Labour, PDP, ADC, APP ETC) candidates of different parties, CSOs, and leaders of opposition coalition CUPP categorically state that any plan to destabilise INEC and force the top officials of the commission, including the INEC chairman out of office, whether with trumped-up charges, manipulated security report, instigated or coordinated parliamentary investigation, a hurriedly obtained injunction from the court, a Code of Conduct Bureau inquiry or an arrest and hurried arraignment, will not be accepted.
“The alleged plan to remove Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and top officials of INEC is a no-go area. The political parties in the country will not accept it. This alleged plot has been coordinated by some APC chieftains and governors led by a controversial South-East APC governor. If this plot is not crushed, it can discredit our election and throw Nigeria into crisis. Our institution can’t be destroyed for one man’s quest or a group of people to keep what was hijacked from the people.
“As parties, we say that arrest and public shaming of the perpetrators and their collaborators who perpetrated the voter registration fraud is non-negotiable. No matter the atmosphere, no matter who is involved, as leaders of the country’s political process and platforms, we have an equal stake and can’t be intimidated into silence. We will continue to act within the ambit of the law, but we are not going to run away or surrender to those who want to destroy what they did not build and what does not belong to them. We are ready for the election and will keep vigilance and not allow our electoral process to be derailed,” he said.
While the APC dismissed the allegations as nonsense and poppycock, the Labour Party (LP) charged INEC to be transparent in handling the general elections, warning that any attempt to manipulate results could instigate serious national crises.
Spokesperson and Director Strategic Communication, of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Festus Keyamo and Femi Fani-Kayode, respectively, argued that the allegation was a sign of admittance of defeat by the opposition parties.
Keyamo said: “The accusation from the CUPP and absolutely nonsense. There has been absolutely no occasion where the APC, either through NWC or any of levels of leadership put any kind of pressure on INEC.
“Those sensing defeat are already looking for reasons for that defeat. It is one of the reasons they are trying to generate to accommodate that defeat but they should know that the defeat is imminent,” he quipped.
Fani-Kayode, said: “The answer to that is absolute nonsense. It’s what you call poppycock. And these are the words of a drowning party spoken by a drowning man with a drowning candidate.
“There is nothing like that. We are above board, we are serious about what we are trying to do, we are going to achieve our objective, we are going to win this election fair and square. And they are the ones that have lost five governors.
“They’re the ones that can’t get their party leaders to come to their rallies at their presidential inauguration. We don’t have that challenge. We’re working slowly but surely. As one together, everybody’s coming together. And I am very proud to be part of this,” he noted.
But Director general of the Obi-Datti campaign organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe who spoke at the unveiling of the the LP Presidential campaign council in Abuja expressed concern about the CUPP’s revelations as to how presumed agents of the ruling party have infiltrated and compromised the INEC voter registration portals in 18 states.
“The current political renaissance and re-energised patriotism of our youths now means voter apathy is giving way, and the citizens’ are now firmly embracing their patriotic political responsibility. While this is a good development, it comes with a challenge and a warning to all connected with conducting elections in the country, to play by the rules, and be as transparent, professional and non-partisan as possible, if we do not want to instigate the same energies of the youths to turn against all, in calamitous manifestation, that is better imagined… than allowed to crystallize.
“To INEC, we say this is the your biggest test in recent history, and you have no choice but to act as a fair, impartial, fearless and patriotic umpire, in the coming elections….
“We have also noted, painfully, the concerns expressed by various NGOs, about how the ruling party has smuggled card carrying members of the party, into the INEC officials appointment process, setting them up as RECs, and other key operational personnel.”
LP appealed to security agencies, the judiciary and retired military and police officers, to position as a strong vanguard against evil and contribute their voices and inputs, firmly, in defence of Nigeria’s corporate existence stating that “this is no time for complacency or conspiracy.”
However, INEC has assured that the polls would be devoid of ballot stuffing and snatching by criminal elements as witnessed in previous elections.
Its Administrative Secretary for Kaduna State, Muhammed Mashi, who stated this, yesterday, said such malpractices had become impossible given the reforms in the new electoral laws and improvements in mechanisms to the deployed in the conduct of the elections.
Mashi who spoke when members of a non governmental organisation, Integrity Group for Better Nigeria (IGBN), visited him said Nigerians would be surprised and happy with the smooth conduct and outcome of next year’s election. He said those who did fresh registration and transfer of polling booths registration should go and collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) as they were ready.
“With the new electoral reform Nigerians will be surprised and happy to see what will happen in 2023 election because it will be smooth and transparent, free and fair. Issue of ballot stuffing and snatching will not happen, and no voter can vote twice. The election will be smooth that if Mr. A wins the election, Mr. B will not hesitate to congratulate Mr. A, and vice versa.
“People who did multiple registration will be taken to court because it is criminal offence. Whoever perpetrated the offence will face the wrath of the law. We have started receiving both sensitive and insensitive materials for the 2023 elections. We are improving day by day. Those who did fresh registration and transfer of polling booths in July can go and collect their PVCs because they are ready,” Mashi said.
He told the group that INEC is transparent in whatever it does towards the conduct of the 2023 elections adding: “This is the type of association we want to partner with, and our door is open to everyone.”
Convener of IGBN, Patrick Lawson said the group was impressed by the way INEC conducted Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections, and urged the commission to maintain the tempo and improve it.
