PDP accused of hiring former INEC Boss to rig 2019 polls

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena on Sunday alleged that the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has recruited a former National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to help it perfect its plan to rig the 2019 general election.

Nabena who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said in a statement issued in his personal capacity in Abuja that following revelations that the party was hiring Russian spies to compromise the INEC data base ahead of the election, the party was trying to change strategies by hiring the unnamed former INEC Boss by the PDP to work for it as election consultant ahead of the elections.

While refusing to disclose the name of the former INEC Boss, Nabena challenged the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to deny the allegation and while asking relevant authorities to investigate the veracity of his allegation.

He said: “Following the exposure of the PDP’s initial plot to use Russian hackers to compromise INEC servers, the PDP has now hired a former INEC Chairman as an election consultant. This INEC Chairman was notorious for rigging elections for the PDP over the years. The plan is to use INEC officials who remain loyal to the former INEC Chairman and under his payroll to compromise the system from within.”

On the uproar that greeted the recent appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as chair of the INEC’s ad hoc committee on National Collation Center for the 2019 elections, the Bayelsa-born APC Chieftain said Nigerians should not be deceived by the PDP-sponsored protest and fake news over her appointment.

“The baseless protest is a ploy to create a distraction for their (PDP’s) election rigging and hacking plans. The PDP has deliberately chosen to be blind to the fact that Mrs. Amina Zakari is not a blood relation of the President as it alleges. In fact, her appointment was done by their very own former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Besides, INEC has publicly stated the roles of its recently inaugurated adhoc committees. The collation centre committee chaired by Mrs. Amina Zakari is in charge of operational logistics of the centre such as electricity, internet, live transmission as well as accreditation for access to the ICC and security of the venue.
“Mrs. Amina Zakari’s committee is not saddled with actual collation of results. Only the chairman of INEC, who is the returning officer for presidential election, decides the validity of votes.” He said.

“Mrs. Amina Zakari’s committee is not saddled with actual collation of results. Only the chairman of INEC, who is the returning officer for presidential election, decides the validity of votes.” He said.