Amid uncertainty over the possibility of elections holding in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states next month, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against any plan to not conduct elections in the troubled North-East states.

On Monday, PREMIUM TIMES reported INEC’s condition for elections in the three states under emergency rule. Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to Attahiru Jega, the Commission Chairman, said unless security of INEC’s staff is guaranteed, elections will not be conducted in the three states.

The APC Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, reiterated the opposition party’s call for elections in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Mr. Mohammed said: “The issue is appearing as a ploy to ensure the tide of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states is not stemmed so as to provide an excuse for not holding elections there.

“Federal Government and INEC know what they are doing. They are playing hide and seek game in this issue. Some days ago, the outgoing REC in Borno said only 12 of the 27 local government areas of the state would have elections. Later, he allegedly reversed himself, saying the elections would hold only in two.”

“If elections are not held in the North-east (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states), it favours them (PDP). Everybody knows how strong APC is in those states. So not having elections there is an act of causing us disadvantage. They have seen the figures of collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs. They are terrified.”

Mr. Mohammed denied he was categorically accusing INEC of conspiracy with the PDP-controlled Federal Government to manipulate the process of elections to favour PDP, only because he had no evidence to back the claim.

“I am not saying INEC is working in cahoots with the PDP to manipulate the electoral process. But, this is our position, if eventually elections are not held in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, it confirms that INEC and the Federal Government have conspired to disenfranchise citizens of those states, most of whom are APC supporters, so as to give PDP undue advantage in the presidential election,” he said.

       Source: PT