The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the reported move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use its facility in Owerri, the Imo State capital, for the storage of electoral materials for the conduct of the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship election.
PDP, while reacting on Sunday through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it held the stance “given the well-known electoral character of Governor Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The party insisted that any attempt to hand over the materials to Governor Uzodinma or storing them in Imo would amount to rigging the election before its conduct.
PDP added that could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the zone.
“Moreover, if INEC, for any reason desires to keep the materials in another state order than Anambra, the best choice ought to be Enugu State, given the availability of a functional airport, a more secure environment with regional security formations as well as better storage facility at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Enugu,” the party said.
The party called on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to save the situation “by speaking out as well as taking steps to reverse the reported plan, should there be any of such.”
But reacting, INEC said it will not be distracted by familiar but unfounded allegations about an imaginary plot to rig the Anambra poll.
Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, told Daily Trust on Sunday in Abuja that the allegations were spurious, adding that any political party with evidence of such a plot to rig the election should make it public.