The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has raised the alarm, alleging plot by desperate politicians to rig the 2019 general elections.
The party condemned the scheme via a statement by its state chairman, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, charging the electoral umpire and the security agencies to take steps to forestall the fraud.
The statement reads thus:
“The attention of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Abia State chapter has been drawn to a dangerous coercive directive given by some high profile government officials and leaders of a particular political party to traders at Isi Gate Umuahia, mandating them to provide their voters cards while coming for their weekly sanitation exercise.
“This despicable directive also threatened to sanction traders who fail to provide theirs by imposition a financial fine on them or stopping them from further using their business stands in the area.
“APGA unequivocally condemns this desperate and dubious political strategy of threat and intimidation aimed at preparing grounds for the rigging of the 2019 general election in Abia State.
“APGA wishes to remind Abians, especially those vulnerable innocent men and women targeted in this fraudulent practices to ignore these enemies of Abia by resisting them and refusing to give their voters cards to them, as anything short of this would amount voluntarily surrendering to the enemies of good governance ahead of 2019.
“While APGA hopes to do a strong worded letter to the INEC hierarchy and practical intervention on the fraudulent activities of some politicians in Abia aimed at frustrating the Abia electorate, we in the interim, call on INEC in Abia State and security agents to take urgent and decisive measures aimed at ensuring that this evil plots and practices are swiftly nipped in the bud, and the perpetrators brought to justice.”