The Kogi Unity Agenda (KUA) a pro-Jibrin Oyibe Usman campaign organisation for the November 11, 2023 governorship election on the platform of Accord Party has condemned in strong terms the ongoing voter suppression in the eastern and western senatorial district by some suspected pro-government agents.
The campaign organisation in a statement on Friday which was signed by Samson Atekojo Usman indicated that some individuals in guise of working for Kogi State Government are going about demanding Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from persons and group leaders for payment of subsidy palliative relief.
This development did not only constitute voter suppression, but a panic move to disenfranchise voters during the governorship election in the affected two senatorial districts where the governor’s anointed candidate, Ododo Ahmed Usman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot get 5 per cent votes.
Usman in the statement revealed that some Local Government council Chairmen were involved in the scam which was mostly directed at vulnerable and illiterate persons with voter cards, as well as associations and groups in promise that they would be paid stipends by Kogi State government as ‘subsidy palliative relief.’
The KUA added that it was aware of several manipulative strategies being put in place ahead of the governorship election, stressing that voter card for ‘subsidy palliative relief’ is one of such strategies to suppress votes, but asked electorate to wise up and resist attempt to force a stooge on them.
The electorate across the three senatorial districts are urged not to surrender their permanent voter card, PVC, for payment under any guise, stating that no government palliative measures would warrant submission of PVC, except for selfish purposes as it were.
The group however advised electorates to report to the security agencies or find out from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office at each Local Government headquarters respectively should they experience such voter suppression.
The campaign organisation noted that the candidate of Accord Party, Vice Admiral Jibrin Oyibe Usman (rtd) was aware of challenges being faced by Kogites and has worked out development plan in conjunction with critical stakeholders, professionals and egg heads from the three senatorial flanks befitting of the State, urging the citizens to vote him as governor of the State.
“The Kogi Unity Agenda has discovered the antics of Governor Yahaya Bello through his agents who are demanding voters’ cards for payment of subsidy palliative relief ahead of governorship election.
“We condemn this development in strong terms as this amount to denial of the electorate to cast votes on November 11, 2023. It is evil, selfish and anti-democratic, hence, Kogites must not surrender their voter cards for any reason.
“Unfortunately, this is a desperate move by the governor to foist his anointed candidate and his brother, Ododo Usman Ahmed on the good people of Kogi State and we are urging Kogites to resist the attempt and report those agents to security agencies,” the statement partly read.
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