The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday accused Governor Usman Ododo of turning the Government House into makeshift polling units and collation centers for the state’s 21 Local Government Areas ahead of the local council elections.
The PDP noted that October 19 was set as the date for the local government polls, as announced by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission. However, the party observed a complete absence of electoral activity across the state.
In a statement signed by Alhaji Tijani Aruwa, the PDP urged the public to disregard the assurances made by KOSIEC Chairman Mamman Eri about conducting a transparent, free, and credible election, calling these promises insincere and misleading.
The party warned that those who expect Usman Ododo to act differently from his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, should be prepared for disappointment.
“There are no visible signs of election preparations in the state, as all INEC offices across the 21 local governments, designated as venues for the arrival of sensitive materials for the local government elections, remain locked,” the PDP stated.
The PDP further alleged that all “election materials have been moved to the Government House, where rigging operations have been ongoing for over a week. The party anticipates that the results of this ‘kangaroo arrangement’ will be announced later today, with only a few ballot boxes displayed for media coverage to mislead the public.”
Additionally, the PDP called on the National Assembly to expedite action on ongoing local government reforms, emphasizing that this is the only way to ensure that citizens have the opportunity to elect their representatives at the local government level.
