The Peoples Democratic Party on Friday alleged that the Federal Government and the All Progressives Congress have pulled in military operatives to assist the party (APC) to rig Saturday’s Kogi state governorship election.
The opposition party said the military ought to have been allowed to concentrate on its statutory role of providing peripheral security during elections.
The party said intelligence information available to it indicated that some compromised military personnel led by a senior officer of the rank of a Colonel have been detailed by the Presidency to carry out specific assignments in support of the APC candidate in the election.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement in Abuja, on Friday, said the development was not only a recipe to civil disorder but also a clear invitation to total disruption of free and fair polls in the state if not immediately checked.
He said, “Available intelligence shows that the deployment to Kogi state of the Army Colonel, who is a known APC sympathiser is part of the fallout of last week’s secret meeting coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where orders were issued to clamp-down on PDP members and supporters to pave way for some pliable INEC officials to manipulate the election in favour of the APC.
“Compromised troops have already been detailed to Dekina Local Government Area, the largest PDP stronghold in the state and home of Governor Idris Wada, where they have been instructed to create panic, strong-arm PDP supporters, frighten and scare away voters, ostensibly to deprive our party of its expected large votes from the area.
“We are also aware of how the head of Security of APC candidate’s Campaign Organization, a retired Army General, is coordinating the movement of partisan security operatives into other key local governments, including Igalamela, Ofu, Ankpa and Idah, to harass and frighten PDP supporters and provide a leeway for the APC to manipulate the election.
“The PDP also has information of the copious involvement of a retired police officer, who is working with some men of the Directorate of Security Services in providing illegal arms, vehicles and cover for APC thugs who have been positioned to attack PDP supporters during the election.”
He said his party found it absolutely shocking that President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government, a huge beneficiary of free, fair and credible election conducted by the PDP, would be involved in the issue.
Nevertheless, he said his party had resolved that no amount of force and intimidation could bend the will of the Kogi people from appropriately exercising their franchise and using every means within the law to protect their mandate.
