2023: Opposition Accuses APC of Plot to Buy Votes Digitally
•Passes confidence vote on INEC chairman
•Orders for fresh primaries undermining poll, says Situation Room
Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Udora Orizu in Abuja
Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to carry out digital vote buying in the 2023 general election.
CUPP made the allegation in a live broadcast at its national headquarters in Abuja. They said APC had resorted to this because it would not be able to continue the usual cash vote as a result of the new naira design policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The opposition parties, however, passed a vote of confidence on Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, even as the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room expressed concern that court orders directing fresh primaries by political parties could undermine the 2023 electoral process.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, alleged that the new plot of digital vote buying would see APC harvesting names, account numbers, Voter Identification Numbers, and Bank Verification Numbers of citizens, arranged in tables for each polling unit on the understanding that money would be sent to each person by electronic means to purchase their votes.
Ugochinyere said information available to him showed that bank details of over 10 million voters had been harvested by agents of the ruling party nationwide, using different platforms. In a plot designed after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), announced the policy to redesign the Naira.
He went further to release evidence of the plot in several leaked documents that showed the names and bank accounts for the digital vote buying in some states.
Passing a vote of confidence on Yakubu and the national commissioners, Ugochinyere vowed that the opposition parties would resist and reject any form of arrest of the INEC chairman, when he returns to the country.
He stated, “This plot, which has now received the approval at the highest level of the APC and its Presidential Campaign Council was also designed in Imo State and exported to 21 other states of the federation, requires the party’s agents harvesting names, account numbers and Voters Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers of citizens and arranged in tables for each polling unit on the understanding that money will be sent to each person by electronic means to purchase their votes.
”In Imo and Ebonyi states, this plot was being executed under the platform ,Support Group Coordination, South-east, while in other parts of the South-east, like Abia, Enugu and Anambra, it was being executed as All Progressives Congress Empowerment Form. In Katsina State and other parts of the North-west, the plot was being executed under the Citizens Grassroots Farmers Association, in Ekiti State, they are operating under the Ekiti Development Front (EDF). In the North-central, Operation Wire-Wire was being executed under the North Central Women for Tinubu.
“In Cross River State, the details are harvested under the Forum of Tinubu Support Groups. In the rest of the country, the APC is harvesting details using the Vote Canvassing Form. CUPP calls on the Banks and the Security Agencies to work together by identifying the illegal transactions in the banks and reporting the same to the security agencies for immediate prosecution.”
Meanwhile, a statement signed by Convener of the Situation Room, Ene Obi, urged the judiciary to respect the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 regarding change of candidates by political parties.
Situation Room noted that several courts had ordered that fresh primaries be conducted, as in the cases of some governorship primaries in Akwa Ibom State; Taraba State; Akoko South East/Akoko South-west Federal Constituency in Ondo State; Abeokuta North, Obafemi-Owode,ddd and Odeda Federal Constituency in Ogun State; Askira-Uba/Hawul Federal Constituency in Borno State, and several others.
Situation Room said, “It is our concern that these court orders ordering fresh primaries may be in serious contradiction of the Electoral Act, which provides timelines for carrying out specific electoral activities. Section 29(1) of the Act states that every political party shall, not later than 180 days before the date appointed for an election, submit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections, who must have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.
“With the 2023 general election in view, Situation Room is further concerned that court orders made by judges should reinforce the spirit and intendment of the Electoral Act rather than be disruptive of the election preparations of INEC.
“At a recent public event, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, had warned judges to operate within legal limits and their judicial powers, rather than engage in judicial rascality.
“Situation Room calls on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Judicial Council to act decisively in holding to account, judges, who exceed their judicial powers and mandate.”
