By Cajetan Mmuta
The All Progressives Grand Alliance has prevailed on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution operatives of the Department of State Services to stop harassing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra State.
The latest alarm by APGA may not be unconnected with the reported arrest of data entry workers of INEC.
APGA alleged that the action was politically motivated and called for the unconditional release of the workers.
Although, it was not certain as at the time of this report the number of the data workers that were arrested by the DSS.
But, the National Media Coordinator of the party, Mr Chinedu Obigwe stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, the state capital.
The party said should the President fail to caution the DSS it would be compelled to the option of mobilizing Anambra youths to embark on mother of all protest against the security outfit.
According to Obigwe, “President Buhari should call DSS officials to order for them to stop interfering with the forthcoming November 6th governorship election or we will be left with the only option of mobilising Anambra Youths to embark on a mother of all protest against them.”
He pointed out that, “Sahara reporters in their latest news report revealed how DSS has turned their agency to a witch-hunting agency ahead of the November 6th governorship election in Anambra.”
They accused the DSS of being a willing tool for witch-hunting in the hands of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Andy Uba, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma and Governor Dave Umahi in connivance with Andy Uba mobilised all the supervisory polling officers to conduct the November 6th governorship election and INEC rejected their list hence the reason why they are using DSS to witch hunt the REC and the Data entry workers of the commission,” APGA stated.
“They are now a willing tool for witch-hunting in the hands of Andy Uba, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.”
He said, “According to Sahara reporters investigation, INEC REC in Anambra and the data entry workers of the electoral umpire are being harassed by DSS because of the refusal of the REC to recruit all the supervisory polling officers for the election from Imo State and Ebonyi State.”
“This is unacceptable and has to be stopped by the President. We do not doubt President Buhari commitment to his promise that the Anambra election will be free, fair and devoid of rigging but the President cannot be giving ndi Anambra such assurance and a respected institution like DSS under his control will be going contrary to what the President is saying.”
President Buhari should call the DSS to order because doing that will go a long way in ensuring that his promise of a free and fair election in Anambra State on November 6th will be actualised.
“DSS must stop harassing INEC officials and they should stop being a willing tool for witch-hunting in the hands of the trio of Andy Uba, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.
“Sahara reporters latest report of the harassment of INEC REC in Anambra and his Data entry workers is currently trending online and the President has to take decisive action about it.
“Andy Uba must be told in plain language that the era of rigging is gone and gone for good in Nigeria.
Oblique pointed out that the DSS claimed that there was a petition against INEC REC and the data entry workers, but said that” The arrest of the data entry workers of INEC is politically motivated and we call for their unconditional release.”
