By G9ija
Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed concern about a reported plot by certain individuals within the All Progressives Congress (APC) to instigate violence in a number of states with the aim of pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reschedule the upcoming election scheduled for Saturday.
According to Atiku Abubakar, the alleged scheme involves an alternate plan to conduct a staggered election where voting would not occur at the same time across the country.
Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, released a statement in Abuja on Thursday, where Atiku, the PDP Presidential candidate, cautioned against holding staggered elections as it could lead to electoral malpractice.
Shaibu also alleged that the recent violence in Kano state was a sign of the purported plan to disrupt the election and push for staggered voting.
Mr Shaibu added, “Today, there was serious violence at the Kwanar Dangora on the outskirts of Kano City. This is a state where the APC holds sway. They have already started with the violence as they did in 2019, where they forced a rerun and then used violence to win.
“We also have it on good authority that this will happen in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna. Kaduna, in particular, must be singled out because the Governor Nasir El-rufai has been prodding his people to disobey President Muhammadu Buhari.
He has also been running from pillar to post since his plan to unleash the old naira notes on voters was scuttled by the Federal Government.”
Furthermore, Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, commended the Nigeria Police Force for apprehending and charging Ephraim Nwuzi, an APC federal lawmaker in Rivers State, who was captured on video discussing plans to assault electoral officials in the state.
Atiku urged the police to take all necessary measures to ensure a peaceful election, particularly in Rivers State, which has a history of being one of the most tumultuous states during elections.
He added, “We commend the police for arresting and arraigning the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ephraim Nwuzi. His utterance is evidence that the APC has a grand plan to foment violence on election day. This is their only strategy to hold on to power after failing Nigerians.”
In addition, Atiku’s spokesperson requested that the police closely monitor other states, including Ebonyi, Cross River, and Imo, where the governors are allegedly determined to do whatever it takes to ensure that Mr. Tinubu meets the 25 percent vote threshold required to become a candidate in the upcoming presidential election.