PDP names those who set INEC office on fire, asks electoral body to reprint burnt PVCs

Some candidates and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State have suggested those who set the Iyana Mortuary office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on fire.

According to the PDP stakeholders, the attackers were those who are afraid of a free and fair elections come 2023 in Ogun State.

At a meeting of the PDP leaders held on Friday, the opposition party members requested INEC to ensure a quick reproduction of the 65,699 PVCs said to have been destroyed in the Thursday fire attack.

During the meeting held at the Abeokuta South PDP secretariat, in Ago-Egun, Abeokuta, the stakeholders expressed shock, saying it was no coincidence that the said PVCs were burnt just three days to the scheduled date of distribution.

According to them, the burnt PVCs were supposed to be distributed, starting from Saturday, November 12.

Leaders at the meeting, including Messrs Isiaka Amodemaja, Semiu Sodipo, Fasiu Bakene, Odejinmi Ismail, Folake Martins, Mukaila Adekunle, Kamaar Sodipo, Toyin Amuzu, Olajide Atobatele and Idowu Olowofuja, unanimously warned that “nobody should be disenfranchised from participating in the 2023 elections based on the fire incident.”

While condemning the attack and describing same as suspicious in that the arsonists had targeted the strong rooms where the PVCs were kept, they wondered who could be afraid of having a free and fair election.

“Those afraid of a free and fair elections should by now have realised that their games are up, as the will of God, which is the will of the people, would prevail. Why are they afraid? They have used selfish individuals to disrupt other parties, now they have resorted to attacking the electoral umpire, but no amount of intimidation will save them,” a communique signed by the party leaders read.

While asking security agencies to investigate and arrest perpetrators of the act, the PDP stakeholders, charged parents to warn their children not to get involved in political thuggery.