APC calls for postponement of LG elections in Cross River

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross Rivers State has called for postponement of Saturday’s (May 30) local government elections in the state, alleging that it’s conduct was a grand designed to ambush other parties.

The party threatened not to accept the outcome of the election should the state government insist on it.

The party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South, Hon. Ntufam Hilliard Eta in an open letter to the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, copy of which was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, called for rescheduling of the grassroot election to a time that will be acceptable to all the parties concern.

The party argued that fixing an election of a critical nature at this period when the country is faced with the dreaded covid19 pandemic would amount to another man-made crises created and orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to further keep the good people of Cross Rivers State in penury and bondage.

The party also observed that in view of the pandemic, most participants at the crucial election are locked-down outside the State, stressing that the fixing and conduct of the election at this time would negates the spirit of fairness, equity and justice.

It further argued that the integrity of the election would be questioned, when in the last two months most of the party’s candidates and supporters were not involved in any form of campaigns and mobilization.

The APC further said in the letter, that the fixing of the local government election was “an act of cowardice and self-service by the Peoples Democratic Party led government of Cross River State.

“Why are you afraid of our great Party and our candidates? Why do you want to ambush us politically, and bring the popularity of our esteemed candidates to disrepute just because of your selfish interest and blind loyalty to your party, the PDP?” the party querried.

Hon. Eta alleged that his party was reliably informed that the governor and the PDP have already concluded the elections. Alleging that, “plans have been perfected to compile the names of government stooges who are majorly known cultists and just counting days to announce them as duly elected Local Government Chairmen of the 18 LGAs of Cross River State. We wish to place it on record that we will not accept this charade in the name of elections in this 21st century”.

The APC accused the governor of delaying the conduct of the local government election and wondered why the hurry in conducting such an important and crucial election.

“We had long prepared for this election, but in your deceptive character, you kept influencing the postponement of the elections and just woke up from your slumber and fixed an election of this critical nature, without giving time for adequate preparations by our candidates. It is therefore an incontrovertible fact that your plan of going into this election is to reward your political thugs so that they will continue serving your parochial interest and certainly not the interest of Cross Rivers State.

“Although equity, fairness, even handedness and a sense of history seem to be very scarce commodities in your character, we speak on behalf of the millions of Cross River State citizens and call on you to cancel the plans of holding this election as announced, for the sake of posterity and our dear State”.

—TheNation