Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist the plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to smuggle in unaccredited polling and collation agents after the APC failed to meet the deadline stipulated by the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC guidelines for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
The PDP said it was already in public knowledge as posted on INEC’s portal that the APC failed to upload its over 3,000 polling and collation agents with the required bio-data and cannot be allowed to submit any agent after the deadline for submission on July 30, 2024 as doing so would amount to rigging.
National publicity secretary of the PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said it was clear that the APC did not upload the required bio-data of agents with the sinister aim to cause confusion, smuggle in thugs masquerading as agents.
Ologunagba, in a statement, said only this could explain why the APC uploaded emojis, pictures of foreigners, social media pictures and non-human photos as polling and collation agents, with the intention to use same as placeholders for thugs imported from certain APC states.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject any attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to introduce unaccredited polling and collation agents for the upcoming governorship election in Edo State on September 21, 2024.
The PDP alleges that the APC missed the July 30, 2024 deadline to submit the required bio-data for over 3,000 agents, as stipulated by the Electoral Act, 2022, and INEC guidelines.
According to the PDP, the APC’s failure to meet the deadline, as reflected on INEC’s portal, is part of a plan to create confusion and bring in unauthorized individuals disguised as agents.
The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, claimed that the APC submitted inappropriate images, including emojis and pictures of foreigners, instead of legitimate agents.
He argues that these actions are intended to mask the importation of thugs from APC-controlled states.
Ologunagba further asserted that this situation highlights the APC and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as unprepared for a fair election, contrasting them with the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, who has been actively campaigning and engaging with the electorate.
He emphasized that the APC’s tactics reflect its desperation and disconnection from the people of Edo State, as evidenced by the refusal of credible citizens, especially the youth, to serve as agents for the APC.
