Politics

Atiku to INEC: Reject APC’s attempt to compromise election results

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist every attempt to compromise the results of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the country.

Atiku said there is an ongoing manipulation of results in Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, among others, urging INEC not to declare any result until the BVAS machines are verified.

The former Vice President also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of making attempts to manipulate election results in Lagos State to its advantage.

He said this through the Director of Strategic Communication, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Momodu, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

Momodu, who said the PDP has been doing well in the North-West and the North-East, stated: “From already collated results data we are proud to inform Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party remains in the lead in the election of last weekend.

“We remain the only political party which has secured the necessary 25 per cent spread across 24 states in the country. No other political party has been able to cross this essential constitutional requirement.

“As a matter of fact, we have it on credible grounds that our main opponent in this election, the All Progressives Congress party, is currently mounting pressure in attempts to have their way to secure 25 per cent performance in both Imo and Ebonyi states.

“It is on the merits of this intelligence that we are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to apply necessary precaution before announcing procured results in the presidential election from these two states.

“As we speak, the APC has not been able to meet the 25 per cent threshold and demands that INEC should not cave into the pressures and desperation of the APC to buy advantages for itself in this regard.

“Similarly, we have it on good grounds that the APC is currently making attempts to shore up votes from Lagos State to their advantage. From already collated results, the APC is not leading in Lagos and we have credible information that they are currently shopping for means of manufacturing humongous figures to their advantage in the state.

“We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission to resist the pressure being mounted on it by the APC to compromise the Lagos Central Senatorial District election where the Peoples Democratic Party is in clear lead. We further urge the electoral commission to put substantial surveillance on Lagos State. The APC is doing all within their means to cheat in Lagos.

“There is extensive ongoing manipulation of results in Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara, among other states where result sheets are being changed and uploaded. INEC must not declare any result until the BVAS machines are verified. In areas where the PDP is winning, results are being cancelled.”

He, however, thanked the supporters of the PDP for voting for the party in the 2023 general election, adding: “Through your incredible efforts, we are happy to inform you, our members, that we are doing extremely well in the North-West and the North-East. We are competitive in the South-South and North-Central. No other party has the kind of leading edge that we have in this election.

“We urge you all our esteemed members to disregard the mind games being played by the APC. From our standpoint, the APC has no justifiable path to winning this election. Unlike the PDP, the APC lacks the spread, and unlike the PDP, the figures are not adding up for them.

“Therefore, we urge PDP members to be vigilant, remain steadfast, and be peaceful.”

The Star