… PDP bemoans attempt to fiddle with election materials

..There is no truth in the allegations..REC

By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, Sen. Sandy Onor has explained why he won’t congratulate the governor elect of Cross River state , Sen Bassey Otu yet, sighting plethora  irregularities in the process of March 18th Polls that made INEC declares him winner.

Sen. Onor who  made this known in a statement he personally signed and made available to Vanguard added that not only was the process marred by plethora of irregularities but accused INEC and security agencies of aiding the ruling APC during the elections.

His words:” About a week ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared my friend and brother, Sen. Bassey Edet Otu, the winner of the Saturday 18th March Governorship Elections in Cross River State.

“The fundamental norm of every contest is that, there must be a winner and a loser,but the contest must also be free, fair and credible.We are all aware that the said election was marred by a plethora of irregularities.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission was neither independent nor impartial. INEC officials aided by security personnel manipulated the system, altered results at various collation levels and frustrated the will of the majority of Cross Riverians.

“Indeed, the election of Saturday 18th March, 2023 was characterized

by outright vote buying, intimidation of voters and violence, which regrettably led ti loss of lives.

“We express our heartfelt sympathies to the families of these heroes of democracy. We assure you that the perpetrators of this crime shall be brought to justice, if not by man, but by God.

“We have consulted with our legal and technical teams as well as stakeholders to review the entire electoral process and have come to the inescapable conclusion that we must seek legal redress. This is tailored to meet the yearnings and aspirations of a vast majority of Cross Riverians. We are confident that we will get justice,” he stated.

Meanwhile , the PDP also raised the alarm over plans by INEC and the current administration to fiddle with election materials.

The PDP accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof. Gabriel Yomere, and other INEC collation  officers to tamper with original results sheets and manipulate BVAS machines used for the Governorship and state house elections on March-18, 2023.

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday ,the Publicity Secretary of the Party ,Mike Ojisi said they have it on good authority that there were plans  on how to reconcile the irregularities in the last Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state especially on  issue of over voting and some irreconcilable differences recorded at the polling units and the number of votes declared from the polling units

He also  expressed worry and called for genuine efforts to  protect the election materials from deliberate manipulation.

“After series of meetings, arrangements have been concluded between the REC, the electoral officers (EOs) of each LG, and the Returning Officers, to bring out all the BVAS within each polling units across the state that have over voting in the just concluded Elections.

“With the BVAS, they would be able  to thumbprint additional ballots papers to balance the votes and the number of persons that were accredited  in each of the polling units across the state.

“We call on stakeholders and relevant agencies to demand for the the original results sheets used in announcing the results from REC before they temper with it,” Ojisi said.

When contacted, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Prof  Gabriel Yomere  saud there was no truth in the allegations.

Yomere said :” There is no truth in the allegations that am meeting with the governor and his team in order to reconciled and manipulate the electoral materials used for the guber election.

“The last time I met with the governor was shortly before Christmas and I went with my team, that was shortly  before I travelled for Christmas in 2022.

“Even if I succeed in manipulating the BVAS, what about the back end  at the INEC portal. You can’t manipulate that.

“The only people allowed to check the BVAS are the lawyers to the political parties and they do that in the presence of INEC staff,” Yomere clarified.