…APC deplores order

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday strongly objected to the warning by Police Inspector General Suleiman Abba that voters should keep off polling stations after casting their votes in the coming elections.
The party said the Police was off course and should be ignored by voters.
The National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in a statement in Lagos that the electorate should rather listen to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who said the electoral law does not state anywhere that voters cannot or should not wait to watch and ensure that their votes are counted.
It therefore urged the electorate to stay behind to protect their votes after casting their ballots, as was the case in 2011.

APC said contrary to the suspicious directive by the IGP, INEC encourages voters to stay behind and watch their votes counted, saying the law expects such voters to stay behind but to conduct themselves in an orderly manner.
The APC said:  “According to Jega, who appeared on Channels TV on Friday morning, the electoral law says anyone that has no business with the electoral process at the polling booths but desires to monitor events should stay at least some metres away from the polling agents and completely away from the ballot box after casting their votes.

‘’The INEC Chairman further clarified that all registered voters have businesses with the process and can therefore not be classified as people that don’t have businesses at polling units.
‘’Therefore, the IGP has no constitutional right or powers under the constitution or Police Act to rewrite the electoral law. The role of the police is to maintain law and order or such other assistance as may be sought from the police by INEC,’’ the party said.
It also asked Nigerians to “ignore the so-called public service announcement concerning the show of force by government security agencies, saying it is part of efforts to intimidate the electorate and pave the way for the PDP to rig the elections.”
The party also advised the public to ignore the SMS being sent around by the agents of the PDP, asking them to send their names and the last five digits of their VIN (Voter Identification Number) to certain numbers.
‘’These and other messages are being sent out by the PDP to steal people’s PVCs, intimidate voters and manipulate the elections. Nigerians should never allow that to happen,’’ the party said.