Rivers By-Election: APC Accuses PDP of Sponsoring Violence, Rigging

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of perpetrating violence and snatching of electoral materials during Saturday’s suspended by-election for Port Harcourt Constituency 3 in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a statement issued by the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabene, APC hailed the Rivers State electorate for bravely defending their votes despite the violence.

APC urged the Rivers State electorate and indeed all Nigerians to continue to stand their ground and resist any attempt to rig elections in the country, adding that votes must count and the people’s will must prevail in all elections.

The APC statement said: “Nigerians will recall how the PDP speaking through its National Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, last Tuesday vowed to deploy all ‘means, schemes, shenanigans in all ramification and magnitude’ to rig all coming election.

“While we condemn the PDP-sponsored violence and failed attempt to rig the by-election, we reiterate that the PDP’s now public rigging plans is a red flag that require urgent attention by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies”.