INEC, Police dismiss alleged plot to rig guber election in Kebbi

The INEC and Police in Kebbi State have dismissed alleged plans between them to connive with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Gen. Aminu Bande, made the allegation at a news conference in Birnin Kebbi.

NAN reports that the candidate had alleged that the INEC, in collaboration with the police, was conniving with the ruling party to conduct the forthcoming elections without using Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He also insinuated that ballot papers would be given to the ruling party on the eve of the election to be thumb printed for onward use on election day.

The INEC in Kebbi State on Tuesday described all the allegations as mere fiction and figment of imagination by the opposition party.

Speaking through the Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Kebbi State, Alhaji Muhammadu Rabi’u said the allegations were false, insisting that the use of BVAS had been captured as part of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On his part, the Commissioner of Police in Kebbi State, Mr Ahmed Magaji-Kontagora, said the allegations were not true, adding that the police were a federal government agency and warned to be apolitical.

The CP,  through the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), SP Nafi’u Abubakar, said: “We were warned to be neutral in all elections, therefore, I don’t think any member of the force will involve in conniving with INEC or any other person to tamper with the election, this is not true.”

He assured that the police and other sister agencies in the state were fully ready to ensure hitch-free and successful elections across the state, advising all political parties as well as the electorate to sustain the confidence they had in the police and other security agencies.

(NAN)