By Adeyemi Adeleye
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State says INEC and security agencies must raise the bar of elections in the area in Saturday’s elections.
The Chairman of PDP, Alimosho LGA, Mr Ishola Shodiya, who made the call on Wednesday during a media briefing at the party’s Secretariat, alleged that the Feb. 25 elections fell short of the expectations of voters in the area.
Shodiya alleged brazen falsification of results and total disregard for the provisions of the Electoral Law at the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the area.
The chairman, who berated some INEC officials and security agencies in the council for allegedly dashing the hope of many voters in the election, raised alarm over plan to also manipulate Saturday’s polls.
He called on the electoral umpire and security agents to be more proactive, vigilant and deploy neutral personnel to avert rigging plans by some desperate politicians.
“As a party and one of the critical stakeholders in the electoral system of Nigeria, we believe it is within our rights to demand for a free and fair elections in Alimosho Local Government.
“The performances of INEC personnel at various levels in the process of conducting the last elections left much to be desired.
“Most of the figures churned out at the Local Government collation centre at Ikotun for the Lagos West Senatorial Election and for the house of representative for the Alimosho Federal Constituency are heavily falsified through the aids of INEC officials.
“INEC officials refused our collation officers from various wards to confront them with original results from the units to wards,” Shodiya said.
Shodiya said that the Electoral Act 2022 should be strictly adhered to in the conduct of Saturday’s elections and all its provisions must be respected to ensure credibility.
“There should be a total breakaway from the ways and manner the last elections were conducted.
“INEC should ensure that all the necessary election materials are given to its personnel before dispatching them to the polling units.
“The materials must be complete and accurate. Only personnel that can operate the BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) machine must be deployed to the polling units.
“Any attempt to draft those that are claiming they could not operate BVAS to conduct the coming elections will amount to act of sabotage contrary to the free and fair elections promised,” he said.
According to him, at the ward and LGA Collation Centres, the parties’ collation agents should be allowed to sit with INEC collation officers before the final compilation of results for thorough checking of results and figures.
He decried that some INEC officials at polling units claimed they could not operate the BVAS Machines during the Feb. 25 elections, which he described as ploy to change the original results from the units.
He said that the party had petitioned INEC and security agencies over what it termed substandard elections conducted on Feb. 25 in the area.
According to him, the party resolved to oppose vehemently all rooms for rigging and any attempt to conduct an election without strictly adhering to the laws.
“As a party, we are not going to continue to look while our mandate is being stolen away. We are going to stop them this time around.
“Let all parties and stakeholders involved in the election play by the rule and be fair to all,” he added.
Also speaking, a PDP leader in the council, Mr Akindele Ojo, said that security agencies must live up to expectations, be upright, and avoid being an appendage of the ruling party.
Other party leaders in attendance, who said that the party would resist all rooms for rigging, called on the Inspector General of Police and other security agents to pay special attention to Alimosho LGA. (NAN)
