* As Opposition Party Demands Arrest Of INEC official allegedly fingered
By David Odama (In Lafia, Nasarawa State)
The Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State has demanded the arrest of an INEC official, Danlami Dardina, attached to Awe local government area office, for allegedly destroying more than 100 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) belonging to PDP supporters.
The opposition PDP who accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of conspiring with a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission to burn and destroy Permanent Voter Cards of its supporters, claimed that the unfortunate act was not the first time the electoral officer in Awe LGA was collaborating with APC members in sabotaging the effort of the electoral body in the local government.
Addressing Journalists in Lafia, the Nasarawa state PDP Public Relation Officer, Ibrahim Hamza, alleged that this was not the first time INEC staff, Danlami Umar Dandina, who is the Electoral Officer in charge of the Awe LGA, conspired with some leaders of the APC to burn PVCs of its loyalists in the LGA in order to disenfranchise them in the coming elections.
According to the PDP spokesman, “The attention of our party has been drawn to the unfortunate and illegal act of the electoral officer of INEC in Awe LGA on his collaboration with some members of the APC to destroy and burn a large number of Permanent Voter Cards belonging to members and supporters of our party, the PDP.
“The affected eligible voters in the area reported the matter to the police and the suspects who are members of the APC have been arrested and taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department where they agreed to have committed the crime.
“We are calling for the immediate sack of the Electoral Officer. We also want his collaborators to be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. We are urging INEC to ensure that All PVCs illegally given to APC members in the area be withdrawn immediately and handed over to its original owners. And in the case of the destroyed PVCs, INEC should do everything possible to ensure that they are replaced before next month's elections.”
According to him, the attention of PDP has been drawn to the unfortunate and illegal act of the electoral officer of INEC in Awe LGA of the state who collaborated with some members of APC to burn a large numbers of PVCs belonging to PDP supporters in his custody.
Hamza said the unfortunate act was not the first time that the electoral officer in Awe LGA was collaborating with APC members in sabotaging the effort of the electoral body in the local government.
"It's unfortunate that the electoral officer in Awe LGA has given a large numbers of PVCs belonging to PDP supporters and other political parties to some influential APC members to destroy. They burnt all the PVCs of those they know that will never vote for APC during the forthcoming general elections," Hamza claimed
Hamza said the party has confirmed the transfer of the case presently to the criminal investigation department of the Nigeria police force in Lafia, Nasarawa state as at Friday, January 26, 2023.
"We call for immediate and thorough investigation and prosecution of the said electoral officer and his culprits to serve as a deterrent to others. Destroyed PVCs should be treated as sabotage by the federal government through INEC while the destroyed PVCs should be replaced immediately in order not to disenfranchise the affected members of other political parties, and all PVCs given to APC members who are not the original owners be retrieved immediately," he said.
Reacting to the allegation via telephone, the Spokesperson of the ruling APC, Chief Douglas Otaru, denied involvement of APC in the alleged destruction of PVCs anywhere in Nasarawa State.
While describing the opposition PDP as a wounded lion and markers of falsehood who are bent on winning elections at all cost, Chief Otaru challenged the opposition PDP to come up with substantial proofs to substantiate their claims.
"I do not think INEC as a responsible umpire ready to deliver credible election will collaborate with any political party to destroyed elections materials or to disfranchise the electorates", Otaru stated.
"We in APC are law abiding citizens working to ensure that things are done correctly. We are not responsible for the woes of the opposition PDP in the state, and so they should go out campaign and win election rather than carrying out blame games that would not help them win elections in the state", the APC Spokesman declared.
He, warned that the APC would not fold it's arms and watch the opposition de-market the party in order to win election in Nasarawa State. NNL.
