The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made a damning allegation that could affect the authenticity of the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria against a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Muyiwa Mojeed Yusuf, the Head of the ICT of the commission in Lagos State.
Yusuf is said to be working against the plans of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the commission’s chairman, to conduct the most credible, free and fair general elections with the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
This has reportedly led to a silent war in INEC as allegations are high that Yusuf has been rewarded handsomely by his pay masters and that he must be redeployed to another state or else the elections in Lagos State might not be considered to be free and fair.
It was also alleged that a staff of INEC in Ojo area, one Miss Balogun. A. Olasunbo, allegedly married to the state chairman of a political party, is also using her position to manipulate the distribution and collection of PVCs.
According to the Lagos State PDP, the said officials of the INEC are working with some political parties to manipulate the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the state.
The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Hakeem Amode, said in the statement that the party found it imperative to call the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Inspector General of the Police, Usman Baba, and the public to what he said is going on.
Emphasising more on the development, Amode said that they were aware that officials of a political party are using their position to collect voters’ information and requesting the submission of photocopies of PVCs.
He stated that in consonance with the promise of President Buhari to deliver a credible election which he said was demonstrated in Ekiti and Osun States’ gubernatorial elections, the party wants him to replicate same in the forthcoming general election.
“We are using this opportunity, to call the attention of the President, the Chairman of INEC and the Inspector General of Police to the voter’s manipulation anomalies currently going on in Lagos State.
He said that they got a report that “some unscrupulous INEC staff” are colluding with members of a political party in the state to deny some groups of people access to collect of their PVCs.
Amode said that Mr. Muyiwa Mojeed Yusuf is conniving with a political party “to clone the faces of voters through his privileged access to the PVCs.”
“”We are currently investigating the report and we would appreciate your distinguished eagle eye to assist us in conducting an investigative assessment of our claim,” he alleged.
The party stated that the campaign of its candidates have suffered several onslaughts and that the party has remained resolute in mobilising the grassroots voters, who he said are directly affected and have endured the harassment, intimidation, and high handedness that is synonymous with this administration.
“We believe that the people have a say in whom is elected to form a government and the sanctity of their choice should be respected and protected under the electoral law and process,” the PDP spokesperson explained.
Moreso, a high official in Labour Party alleged that the guy has compromised his position as the IT head of Lagos INEC and that “it is better he is transferred out of the state now or else the results of the elections in the state might be considered null and void.”
