Just In: PDP alleges plot by Gov Yahaya, INEC, Police to compromise BVAS in Gombe
….APC refutes claim
By Chima Azubuike
The Peoples Democratic Party Muhammad Barde campaign office has alleged that the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has completed plans to rig the election by compromising the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System machines.
Addressing the press at a conference held at the campaign office, the spokesman Ayuba Aluke, said the governor had perfected plans to use some security agencies especially the police.
According to him, Yahaya in a leaked audio threatened to ensure the dismissal of Commander 301 Artillery regiment for not supporting their attempts to compromise the process,” because the APC has won in the centre, he (governor Yahaya) has power and influence to remove him as Commandant of 301 artillery regiment in Gombe State to also cause that he is sacked from Nigerian Army because they control the Federal Government,” Aluke quoted the governor to have said in the leaked audio.
He added, “We have authenticated audio evidence where this current Governor of Gombe State under the leadership of All Progressives Congress is discussing with some of his cohorts that he is planning on rigging, manipulating, or bypassing the BVAS machines and all the electoral laws in a grand design to ensure he returns as Governor.
“We could clearly hear the governor discussing with one Maina, that they have completed plans supported by one of the sons of Gombe, the MD or GM of Polaris Bank one Auwalu, is coming to Gombe in the next few days with a huge sum of money cash to pay off INEC officials and security agencies. He said he has paid one AIG, and INEC hierarchy.
While lamenting the failure of the police, and Independent National Electoral Commission, adding, “It is a total offence on the electoral laws, apart from plans to buy votes, the audio said they would pay security agencies. We are doing this press briefing to state that we are not happy with the way security agencies are handling our complaints in the state. The police seem to have paid little or no attention including the DSS. As far as we are concerned we are not satisfied with the way the police, DSS have handled our complaints.”
Reacting, Publicity Secretary of APC Moses Kyari, in a telephone interview with our correspondent refuted the claims saying that rigging is not one of their traits.
Kyari said, “The APC does not rig; rigging is not part of its culture and for the governor as a gentleman and true democrat to the core will not go the extra mile to want to rig the election. We want to call on the citizens of Gombe State to be careful of the antics of the PDP because they are desperate and will go to any length to see that they get their way unfortunately the people of Gombe State are wiser.”
