PDP, APC, LP trade accusations over voters cards, others

ACCUSATIONS and counter accusations are flying from the major political gladiators in the run up to the June 21 governorship elections in Ekiti State
While the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is accusing the All Progressive Congress (APC) of purchasing voters cards from the electorates, alleging that about 35,000 cards had been bought by the APC at N5, 000 each from unsuspecting electorates.
The APC however, denied the allegation, saying it lacked substance.
Addressing a press conference yesterday the Director of Media of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogon alleged that the massive purchase of voters’ cards was meant to boost APC performance at the election.
Besides, the party alleged that APC had recruited about 200 fake election monitors called “Democracy Vanguard” as parts of its rigging strategies.
According to him, the fake monitors were currently being trained at Ikogosi Warm Spring. “These fake monitors are to be deployed to the field on the day of the election to induce voters while queuing to vote,” he said.
The party therefore, asked INEC to reject the registration of the “Democracy Vanguard” as part of its election observers.
Also, federal lawmaker and Labour Party gubernatorial aspirant, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, alleged plans by some politicians to hijack the forthcoming June 21 election in the state, through the use of mercenaries.
While raising the alarm in a statement issued yesterday, Bamidele called on voters in Ekiti to be vigilant and disregard attempts by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to blackmail peace-loving opponents in the state.
He said: “There’s no gainsaying that the APC thugs and mercenary voters were resisted by Ekiti people at different registration centres across the State while trying to manipulate the voters’ registration exercise.
With allegations over plans to purchase voters card, the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER) has urged Nigerians to persuade the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) to test the Card Reader in forthcoming polls in Ekiti and Osun states to dispel the rumour that some candidates are already busy cloning voters cards for multiple voting and impersonation.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, Convener of CODER, Chief Ayo Opadokun said the Card Reader would either validate or invalidate claim of being a genuine voter. “This certainly is supposed to be a significant step forward towards achieving credible elections and where every vote must count as demanded by Nigerians and the international community inclusive.
  “The recounting of such positive and timely development by the INEC is suspicious because the non-usage of Card Readers in Ekiti and Osun States in June and August 2014 means that it will be practically impossible to detect multiple voting and impersonation which are rumored to be perfected strategy of particular candidates,” he said.
  Opadokun noted that the non-usage of the Card Reader in Ekiti and Osun would mean that there would be avoidable floodgate for the usage of cloned voter cards for multiple voting and impersonation in several polling units. “Such a scenario will most certainly lead to confusion, accusations and possible violence in various polling centres, given the expected effective monitoring and vigilance that contesting political parties would mount in order to defend their votes.”
Also, Bamidele during his campaign tour of some villages and farm settlements in Ise/Orun Local Government has decried what he called the “total absence of government presence” in some communities in Ekiti State.
He faulted the present APC led government’s claim of free education and access to basic healthcare, as contrary was the case. He said people still pay school fees in the state.
In another development, one of the two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators in Ekiti State House of Assembly member representing Ido/Osi 1 Constituency, Mrs. Bunmi Oriniowo yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
She joined former Governor Segun Oni and sixteen senior officials of his administration who on Monday joined the APC alongside their teeming supporters at Ifaki- Ekiti country home of the ex-governor.
Ido/Osi Local Government Area where Oni and Mrs. Oriniowo hail from had always been a stronghold of the PDP until now that some of them joined the APC.
Mrs. Oriniowo who announced her defection at a rally addressed by the governor in her hometown, Ifisin, said she decided to join the APC because the party represents progress, development and integrity.

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