The Peoples Democratic Party has described the ongoing registration of members by the All Progressives Congress as a ruse.
It said the aim of the exercise was to come out with a bogus figure, which he said the opposition would now use to discredit the 2015 general elections.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, alleged that the aim of the APC was to use the exercise to lay mines in the way of a successful conduct of 2015 general elections.
He said, “Our great party has received reports from various states, calling our attention to an on-going, well planned clandestine moves by the APC to lay mines in the way of a successful conduct of 2015 general elections, using its nation wide membership registration as a ruse.
“It is very unfortunate that while the PDP-led Federal Government is solidifying the foundation of a credible electoral system it has already laid, and the Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to release the final details of the 2015 general elections timetable, which is still a year ahead, the APC is already introducing weird inventions, calculated to torpedo the process and blow sky-high, the huge expectations of Nigerians and the international community.”
He said while his party was not against the registration of members of the APC, he however said it was clear from the statements, actions and the activities of the leaders of the APC, that the opposition merely changed names without changing its character.
Metuh said, “Our investigations revealed that part of the plot by the APC is to use this fraudulent membership registration exercise to hype a phantom public support after which it will declare a particular bogus figure and create a false impression of massive public followership ahead of the 2015 general elections.”
In its reaction, the APC said the leadership of the PDP was already panicking because of the success being recorded with the registration.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told our correspondent on the telephone, that it was apparent that the PDP was panicking.
He wondered why the ruling party would be dabbling into registration of members of the opposition party, an exercise he said was meant for members of the APC alone.
In its reaction, the INEC said the polling booths being complained of by the PDP were not in its control.
Mr. kayode Idowu, who is the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said there was no way the commission could stop anyone from using the polling booths.
Source: Punch
