By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
#TrackNigeria: Sokoto State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has allegedly uncovered plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use students in boarding secondary schools to rig the forthcoming general elections.
The allegation is contained in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sambo Bello Danchadi and made available to Newsdiaryonline on Thursday.
“This is evident by the failure of the PDP-led Sokoto State Government to close such schools for the purpose of allowing the students to exercise their franchise during Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls.
“This has indeed negated the usual practice during such important national exercises, so as not to wilfully disenfranchise the citizens. The inability of the state government to release the boarding students is intended to use them to rig the polls.
“It is also noteworthy the eligible boarding students had registered for their PVCs in their respective towns and villages, hence retaining them in such schools would disenfranchise them as they could not vote in their schools .
“This is more so some unscrupulous elements have also been dubiously collecting some unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), from the various offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), across Sokoto State, without the knowledge of INEC,” the statement read in parts.
The APC further stated that it would take legal actions against the alleged rigging plans in order to seek redress.
“The party will not in anyway condone such heinous moves, just as the APC would use any available means, including legal actions, to seek redress for such obnoxious acts.
“APC is also hereby strongly and vehemently rejecting such callous moves, while it is also cautioning INEC and all concerned authorities , including security agencies, against turning deaf ears against such heinous plans,” Danchadi stated.
The party called on parents of the children in those schools to avoid being used for the alleged act.
“In the same vein, APC is calling on parents in the state to withdraw their wards and children from all boarding schools , so as to prevent them from being used to perpetrate the planned illegal act,” the APC stated.
