Nigeria: APC suspects electoral foul play in Osun

Osun - The All Progressives Congress (APC) has decried the delay in distributing the permanent voters cards to registered voters ahead of the August governorship election in Osun State.

The party warned that
might be a ploy to disenfranchise voters.

"The Independent National Electoral Commission has been painfully slow in processing the permanent voters cards, and one can only hope that the electoral body is not doing this deliberately to disenfranchise voters, especially in opposition strongholds,'' the party said in a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed.

''The slow processing of the permanent voters cards has in particular hit the Central Senatorial District of the State, and has affected those who had earlier registered as well as those who registered this year,'' the party stated.

APC said INEC had continued to tell those who throng its offices in the state to collect their permanent voters cards that the cards are not ready, without giving an indication of when they will be ready for collection.

''If INEC has no diabolical plan, then it should speed up the processing of the permanent voters cards. We say this based on the reported announcement by the REC in Osun State that whoever does not possess a permanent voters card will not be allowed to vote in the August 9 election,'' the party said.

It urged INEC to maintain its neutrality during the forthcoming election and to ensure it did not promote anything that can affect the credibility of the commission or the integrity of the election.

APC recalled that a few days before the Ekiti governorship election on June 19th, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, had told stakeholders that the commission would use colour-code ballot papers to ensure that ballots meant for one local government were not taken to another.

''However, not only did INEC not use colour-coded ballot papers in the Ekiti election, it never felt the need to explain its sudden volte-face. This is a blow to the integrity of INEC and we hope it won't be repeated,'' the party said.

INEC recently pledged its commitment to conduct credible polls in Osun State as well the general election in 2015.