PDP Condemns Local Government Elections in Cross River State as a “Monumental Fraud”
In a scathing statement, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the leading opposition in Cross River State, has denounced the local government elections held in the state at the weekend, labeling them “a monumental fraud” in the state’s political history.
The party’s state chairman, Venatius Ikem, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the electoral process from the very beginning to ensure their dominance, citing biased composition of the electoral commission.
The PDP alleges that the electoral commission was complicit in a charade, orchestrating a farce in the name of conducting local government elections. The party claims that the ruling party intentionally hoarded and misdirected election materials, allowing large-scale rigging efforts.
The PDP has gathered evidence of a well-orchestrated rigging plan, including the diversion of election materials, late arrival of insufficient ballot papers without standard serial numbers, and missing result sheets. In addition, election materials were not issued to anyone except APC stalwarts, who then carried out brazen thumb-printing in their homes.
In particular, the party highlights instances of blatant fraud in Obudu, Obubra, Calabar South, and Obanlikwu local government areas, where election materials were unequally distributed, and results were written on ordinary papers.
The PDP has condemned the entire election process and rejected all results, asserting that there was no legitimate local government election conducted in Cross River State. The party urges its members to remain peaceful and assures them that they will seek legal redress to contest the outcome.
“We urge all our members to remain calm and peaceful, as the party shall pursue the outcome in a competent court of law. It is high time we put an end to attempts to deprive citizens of their legitimate rights to elect who leads them at the local government level,” Ikem concluded.
