22nd January, 2015
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger has accused the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to cause trouble during elections in February.
This was contained in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr Israel Ebije, in Minna on Thursday.
The statement said Aliyu’s position was in response to allegations by the APC that the governor, Peoples Democratic Party in Niger, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were set to rig the elections.
“How can the statement of Gov. Aliyu calling on Nigerlites to eschew violence and accept outcome of the next general elections be viewed as plans to rig?
“It is indeed very sad for any responsible political party to be directing the thinking of its supporters towards a violent poll despite efforts by leadership of the PDP and APC at the center to have peaceful elections.
“It must therefore be made categorically clear that Niger chapter of the APC is preparing for a violent poll.
“We must therefore hold them responsible especially now that the party is blackmailing the governor, PDP and INEC even before elections,” it stressed.
The statement added that opposition party in the state had exposed its violent disposition towards the next general elections.
It called on PDP supporters to remain focused and immune to the politics of violence and blackmail of the APC.