Evidence has surfaced suggesting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be orchestrating a scheme to manipulate the electoral process ahead of the Edo governorship election scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
A leaked memo reveals a strategic plan involving compiling detailed personal data from voters, which raises serious concerns about potential electoral malpractice.
According to the memo, the APC instructed Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen to collect and forward extensive personal information of voters to the state secretariat.
The directive, issued by Lawrence Osarobo Okah, the State Secretary of the APC, read:
“PLEASE CHAIRMAN AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND WITH ALL SENSE OF SERIOUSNESS, PLEASE COMPILE 400 NAMES PER WARD IN YOUR LGA AND FORWARD SAME AS SOFT COPY AND HARD COPIES TO THE STATE SECRETARIAT, AS THIS IS UNDER THE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS FORUM INITIATIVES.
“THESE 400 ARE TO DELIVER THEIR UNIT AT ANY COST. THIS IS A MATTER OF URGENCY.”
The memo also requested the collection of the following details from each voter:
Full Name
Polling Unit Number
INEC Voter’s Card Number
Bank Details (Bank Name and Account Number)
BVN (Bank Verification Number)
NIN (National Identity Card Number)
By assembling a list of 400 names per ward and ensuring their delivery at any cost, the APC’s strategy appears to aim at controlling voter turnout and influencing election results in their favour.
Critics argue that such practices undermine the integrity of the electoral process and could lead to significant violations of voter privacy and election laws.
The collection of sensitive data raises concerns about how this information might be used and whether it could be leveraged to coerce or incentivize voters inappropriately.
The Progressive Governors Forum’s involvement, as mentioned in the directive, suggests that this scheme may have the backing of the party’s governors.
As the election approaches, this revelation puts additional pressure on electoral authorities and watchdog organizations to scrutinize the process closely and ensure that the principles of democracy and transparency are upheld.