Edo Guber: APC, PDP Trade Blame Over Fake Voter Card Allegations

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused  the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, of the forging his voter card, claiming that he was not a registered voter as reportedly revealed by checks in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.

In the same manner, an  FCT Chief Magistrates’ Court has allegedly given a directive to the Force Criminal Investigation Department to invite for investigation Mr. Asue Ighodalo for the offences of forging a Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, alleged that, “The alarming discovery that the APC candidate allegedly presented a fake voter card in his Form EC9 submitted to INEC is a self-inflicted blow which clearly and irredeemably signals the end of the road for the APC and its candidate in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election.”

Ologunagba said that “It is indeed scandalous that the APC sponsored a candidate with alleged questionable documents as a governorship candidate for Edo State that is noted for very credible and highly respectable citizens.”

Moreover, the PDP said that “it is now apparent as to why the APC submitted to INEC a blurred and unreadable voter card purporting same to be that of its candidate and had remained silent since the news broke out that the said voter card was allegedly forged.

“This act of impunity by the APC amounts to an assault on the sensibility of the generality of the people of Edo State and our nation’s democratic practice.

“Without remedy, the APC and its candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, are not eligible to contest the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election by virtue of the express provisions of Section 182 (1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 114 (g) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Section 467 of the Criminal Code Act.

“The clear implication is that the APC campaign in Edo State is a journey to nowhere as any vote cast for the APC in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election would be a void vote and effort in futility.

”Disturbingly, available information to our party indicates that some APC leaders are allegedly mounting pressure on certain INEC officials to compromise the Commission’s data and input fabricated voter registration information for the embattled APC candidate,” Ologunagba stated.

The PDP cautioned INEC not to succumb to the pressure by the APC as the public is already aware of hard evidence available in INEC portal showing that the APC candidate is not registered as a voter.

The spokesman of the PDP said that the APC and its candidate should therefore immediately withdraw from the race as they cannot legally participate in this election.

The PDP urged the people of Edo State to remain at alert while working together to ensure that their will triumphs with the election of Dr. Asue Ighodalo at the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election.

Meanwhile, there seems to be  trouble for the PDP governorship candidate in the September election as an  FCT Chief Magistrates Court has allegedly given a directive to the Force Criminal Investigation Department to invite for investigation Mr. Ighodalo for the offences of forging a Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

According to documents available to THISDAY, Ighodalo was being accused of forging his permanent voter’s card, a property of the INEC.

He was further accused of lying on oath about the said PVC in his nomination documents submitted to the Commission.

According to the letter by the Deputy Inspector General in charge of Force Criminal Investigation Department,  the criminal case which was instituted by Gabriel Ehikioya, who is the complainant in the court documents, has Ighodalo as the accused.