By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday in Calabar, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Police Special Unit, known as the ‘Sting,’ of conniving to cheat in the February 26, Ogoja/Yala federal constituency bye-elections elections which just ended in Cross River.
The Cross River State PDP chairman, Barr. Venatius Ikem, made the allegation during a press conference organised by the PDP at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar.
Ikem stated that the PDP has rejected the outcome of the exercise, claiming that the electoral process was marred with a lot of irregularities, where beating of voters and some strong supporters of the PDP were harassed and intimdated to lower the number of persons voting for the PDP.
Nkem demanded for thorough investigation into the activities of the INEC’s Commissioner, Mr. Festus Okoye, on the role played by Okoye during the elections.
The chairman said, “Even before the election commenced on that fateful day, some of our vigilant agents in Yala detected a staff of INEC in Cross River State who was trying to smuggle in a BVAS machine that was not amongst those accredited for the election.
“The said staff was said to have taken to his heels and disappeared throughout the election.
“We demand that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River State must produce him, because this incident was brought to his attention.
“It is remarkable that in the process of confirming materials prior to the election, 5 BVAS machines were recorded missing, which they later claimed were ‘forgotten’ in the process of loading them from Calabar.
“We further demand that the INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye, who supervised the election is the perpetuator of the atrocious acts from INEC officials.
“It is noteworthy that Mr. Okoye has made Cross River State his permanent supervision point, because he is in cohort with Governor Ben Ayade, in his desperation to subvert the electoral process in the state.”
Accompanied by state PDP executive members to the Press Centre, Ikem alledged that the state APC used the Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the governor, CSP Anyogo and the aide-de-camp, ADC, SP Ibrahim to intimidate the voters so that they won’t vote candidate of their choices.
The PDP urged the Federal Government to disband the Special Unit, which is under the Governor’s Office, so that they don’t continue to disregard the nation’s constitution.
He added, “While the official police ostensibly did their job under the command of CP Aminu Alhassan, the unofficial police under the control of the governor’s CSO, CSP Anyogo and ADC, SP Ibrahim, unleashed mayhem on voters when their men embedded with thugs and Governor Ayade’s appointees under their cover snatched ballot boxes and other materials at will.
“We demand an immediate disbandment of these special units which are being abused, because they are not answerable to the regular police command in the state.
“We cannot under the guise of special duties arm and operate a police force against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
But in a swift reaction to the allegations, the Cross River All Progressives Congress, APC, chairman, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, while denying the allegations stated that the APC neither cheated nor involved itself in any violence, saying instead that it’s the PDP that intimidated voters.
Ekpang said, “As I speak to you, the state APC Organising Secretary, Engr. Thomas Arikpo, was attacked on the day of election and beaten to pulp, with wounds inflicted on his body.
“It’s natural that a man who loses elections would claimed he was intimidated, and accused the government in power of intimidating him.
“Why couldn’t the PDP emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost elections and accepted defeat?”
