13 February 2019
The Chairman
Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)
National Headquarters
Plot 436, Zambezi Crescent
Maitama District, FCT
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
HOW GOV AYADE INTENDS TO RIG THE 2019 ELECTIONS IN CROSS RIVER STATE AGAINST THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS USING OBUDU L.G.A AS TEMPLATE
The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has been drawn to a plot by the Cross River State Governor Prof. Benedict Ayade to rig the 2019 general elections in the state through manipulation of figures, intimidation and subterfuge, using Obudu, his local government of origin as departure point.
According to an impeccable source, Gov. Ayade, using his fronts in the state INEC office, has unilaterally juggled the voters registration figures in Obudu to suit his evil intention. To be candid, in 2015, the Obudu Loca Government voting strength was 58,731. But in 2019, the figure has been astronomically jerked up to a whopping 128,471, more than 100 per cent increase. In fact, our findings reveal that Ipong Ward where the Governor hails from registered more than 30,000 voters with each unit having an average of 4,000 voters. Incredible but true!
In the recently organized bi-election in Obudu to the State House of Assembly, the total number of votes cast was not more than 16,000. Indeed, Obudu is unarguably, one of the five (5) local government areas that constitute the Northern Senatorial District of the state. All the local governments, except Yala, have one state constituency each. Yala has two state constituencies because it is the largest in the North.
In 2015, with a voting strength of 77,246, Yala was the fourth largest in the whole state. But the newly released figure for Yala is 104,656. The implication is that Obuda has far overtaken Yala in voting strength within just an electoral tenure to now assume the largest voting strength in the entire state. Given the fact that Obudu, in both land mass and population, happens to be one of the smallest local government areas in Cross River State, this development is not only incredible but scandalous.
What it portends is that there would hardly be any local government across the country that would be MORE THAN double this figure.
As a political party that believes in the principles of fair play, equity, social justice and civilised conduct, we hereby wish to state as follows:
1. That INEC must immediately investigate the fraud involved in the new voters registration figure for Obudu Local Government Area and the culprits brought to book, without much ado.
2. That there is a high level of complicity among INEC officials in the state as far as this bizarre manipulation of registered voters figures is concerned.
3. That, given Ayade's lack of performance and absence of governance across the state, which has made Cross River State the lowest hanging fruit for any other party except PDP to plug in the South South geo-political zone, any attempt to rig the election would be resisted by even youths from the Northern Senatorial District who are visibly fed up with Ayade's serial leadership gaffes and deception as demonstrated in their overwhelming support for our party during our campaign tour of the area.
4. That we are making this solemn appeal, believing same to be the truth and nothing but the truth, and insisting that there must be a level playing field in the forthcoming elections beginning with the Presidential/National Assembly elections, and finally the Governorship/ State Assembly elections for peace to reign in our state.
SIGNED:
Sir John Ochala
State Chairman of APC, Cross River.
12th February 2019
Cc…….The Acting Inspector General of Police
Cc……..The National Chairman of APC
Cc…….. The Director General of DSS, Abuja
Cc……….The INEC REC, Cross River State
