The leading opposition party in Cross River State has stated in Calabar that last weekend’s local government council elections were a “monumental fraud never before witnessed in the state.”
State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Venatius Ikem, who signed the statement, said, “We state boldly that never in the political history of Cross River State have the electorate witnessed this kind of monumental electoral fraud perpetrated on Saturday.”
Ikem alleged that from the outset, the processes for conducting the polls were skewed to favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, from the composition of the electoral umpire, friends and relatives of government officials were installed to do their bidding.
He stated that they had underestimated the “charade” that the electoral umpire was organizing in the name of the local government election.
The party alleged that the ruling party, using the state independent electoral commission, deliberately hoarded and diverted election materials meant for the elections in the state to facilitate massive rigging.
“Verified reports obtained from our agents and independent observers pinpoint a well-orchestrated rigging plan, which included the diversion of election materials, the late arrival of insufficient ballot papers without standard serial numbers, and missing result sheets.”
“Also, at most polling units, CROSIEC official stamps were not provided for the presiding officers to stamp the ballot papers after appending their signatures for authentication, as required by law.”
“In Calabar South, Municipality, Obudu, Abi, and Obubra in particular, election materials meant for the entire local governments were diverted to the houses of APC stalwarts, where thumb printing was brazenly carried out.”
“For instance, in Obudu, no single election material was issued to anyone except the APC, which took custody and carted them away to the Military School in Bedia, where soldiers cordoned off everyone except APC members.”
“Again, in Obanlikwu and Bekwarra local government areas, where ballot papers were distributed, no single result sheet accompanied them, and results were written on ordinary papers.”
The party has condemned the conduct of the election and rejected all the results from the purported election, stating that, as far as they are concerned, there was no legitimate local government election in Cross River State.
“We urge all our members to remain calm and peaceful, as the party shall pursue the outcome in a competent court of law.”
“It is high time we put an end to attempts to deprive the citizens of their legitimate rights to elect who leads them at the local government level.”