PDP: APC flooding Kogi with ‘corrupt money’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government is flooding Kogi state, where a governorship election is scheduled to take place on Saturday, with corrupt money to buy the people’s mandate.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the PDP, who had earlier alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the election in favour of the APC candidate, said the attempt by the ruling party to buy votes in the Kogi election would set the country backwards.

“We also wish to further expose the insincerity of this government, which in its attempt to forcefully take over Kogi state, is now flooding the state with corrupt money ostensibly to sway the people and purchase their mandate. This primitive attempt at vote-buying is not only an insult on the people of Kogi state but also setback to efforts towards credible elections in Nigeria,” he said.

“This same government that prides itself on being incorruptible had, in addition to fielding persons facing corruption charges in Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections earlier in Kebbi, fielded Governor Atiku Bagudu, who falsely declared to INEC that he has never been convicted, imprisoned or fined for any wrongdoing, when in actual sense there are records that he was indicted and is being wanted by the US Justice Department, for which he is now facing pre-election charges at the federal high court, Abuja.

“We wish to state categorically that the PDP has never made any claim or any statement that has been contradicted by either the government or the ruling party (beginning with our revelation that the director-general of the DSS is a member of the APC, to the latest revelation of the secret meeting between the presidency and INEC on plots to rig the Kogi governorship election).

“The PDP will continue to show responsibility and caution in ensuring that only facts that have been verified by the party are put out to the public at all times. We will not indulge in falsehood as we continue in our opposition role of putting this administration on check in the general interest of the nation.”