The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to unleash violence in Kogi and Bayelsa states ahead the November 16 governorship election in the two States, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged.
The APC in a statement on Monday also accused the opposition party of creating an atmosphere of fear and stage-managed violence aimed at scaring voters from coming out on election day to exercise their franchise.
On Saturday, one Yusuf Seidu Uhiene was reportedly killed after hoodlums attacked the convoy of governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi, Musa Wada.
Reacting to the development, PDP had accused APC of being culpable for the incident.
However, APC said the PDP was only embarking on campaign of calumny and threats on the leadership of its campaign team.
“We strongly call on security agencies to take seriously PDP’s recent threats to the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Ahmed Nasir El-Rufai who is the Chairman of the APC Kogi State National Governoship Campaign Council, to “steer clear” of Kogi State during the electioneering period.
“One asks, why has the PDP refused to embark on any major campaign in Bayelsa and Kogi states? They are clearly not planning for a credible electoral process. We have confirmed PDP’s grand plan to rather than campaign, compromise security agents and electoral personnel deployed for the governorship elections.
“In Kogi, defeat stares PDP in the face and because they do not have any answer to Governor Yahaya Bello’s tremendous accomplishments, they have decided to create an atmosphere of fear, stage-manage violence and are typically getting ready to cause chaos on election day.
“We have recieved reports of arms stockpiling and vote-buying plans by PDP elements in Bayelsa State. We have also confirmed reports showing plans are afoot to stage-manage violence to disrupt the election while blaming APC’, the APC further claimed.
23 candidates have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the governorship election in Kogi state, while 45 candidates will vie for the Bayelsa State top post.
Both elections come up on the same day on November 16.
