The ruling All Progressives Congress has dismissed an alleged plot to rig the 2023 general elections.
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, at the weekend accused the ruling party of connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to frustrate free, fair and transparent elections in 2023.
Secondus allegation was on the heels of disclosure by the electoral umpire to shelve its plan to procure electronic voting machines.
INEC said it was reviewing its position against the backdrop of rejection of electronic transmission of results by both chambers of the National Assembly while passing the Electoral Act 2016 (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The leadership of the APC however faulted the claim by the main opposition party.
National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe in a statement on Monday said there was no truth in the claim by the PDP.
Akpanudoedehe maintained that “the PDP is clearly unsettled and afraid of the APC’s widespread popularity. Hence, the PDP’s imaginary, baseless and concocted allegations of a plan to rig the 2023 elections. The APC will not learn the PDP’s bad habits on election fraud.”
The CECPC recalled its victory in the weekend bye-election for the House of Representatives seat for the Lere Federal Constituency in Kaduna state and the gale of defection from the main opposition party.
According to Senator Akpanudoedehe, the erstwhile ruling party has lost relevance with Nigerians and is haunted by its past.
The statement further read in part: “On the part of the APC, there is no need to rig any election because the electoral choice has already been made by Nigerians who continue to vote for the APC, our latest victory being the bye-election for the House of Representatives seat for the Lere Federal Constituency in Kaduna State.
“Going by PDP’s past and current antecedents, it is obvious that Nigerians will continue to reject the party.
“PDP’s rejection is further reinforced by APC’s widely accepted and hugely successful membership registration exercise which has recorded APC membership strength at over 40 million. The gale of defections by PDP members and leaders to the APC has left the failed opposition party in a comatose state, rendering it incapable of matching the APC in a free, fair and transparent electoral contest.
“The rudderless PDP leadership has undoubtedly brought the failed opposition party to its knees permanently.
“Under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government, the credibility of elections has continued to improve. The APC will continue to support constitutionally permitted innovations by our election management bodies to ensure the sanctity of votes and the entire electioneering process. In all elections, valid votes must count and the will of the majority of electorates must prevail. That is our progressive mantra in the APC.”
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