20th January, 2011
A plot by some desperate politicians in the camp of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to repeat the 2007 ‘voters register abracadabra’ in Ondo State through the production of a fake voters register has been uncovered.
The Chairman of the State Voters Registration Awareness Committee, Engr. Clement Faboyede at a press briefing in Akure on Thursday said the discovery was made by its monitoring teams going round to assess the situation across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Faboyede, who is also the State Commissioner for Community Development and Co-operatives, told newsmen that the teams were able to uncover different fraudulent tactics being employed by the PDP akin to that of 2007 to gain undue electoral advantage.
Faboyede said: “The PDP in Ondo State used fake voters register which contained the names of the late CAC President, Pastor Ayo Babalola, ace columnist Sam Omatseye, President Goodluck Jonathan among others as well as foreigners like pugilists, Mike Tyson and Mohammed Ali in 2007 and is trying to repeat the same.
“Like in 2007, they are at it again. This time, they are employing advanced rigging tactics to subvert the on-going voters’ registration exercise. Our monitoring teams have been able to uncover their plot to use fake voters register they produce now during the general elections in April.
“A document titled ‘Voters Information Register’ having parameters that are alien to the INEC exercise for registration of voters is one of the documents they are brandishing.
“One of such is for Akoko North East local government, Ilepa Ward 1, Araromi Unit and contains full names, sex, address, phone number and party leaning. The question we ask is: When has party leaning become one of the personal particulars to be furnished INEC officials for registration of voters?
“More than this, they are also going round to ‘buy’ voters cards from registered voters especially in Akure South Local Government. We are sure Nigerians know why this is being done by the PDP agents in Ondo State.â€
Saying that the team is alerting Nigerians on this dangerous trend in the nation’s political life which must not be allowed to continue, Faboyede said generations yet unborn will never forgive today’s leaders for idling away and not checking such destructive acts.
He therefore appealed to the people to be vigilant and avoid falling prey to electoral fraudsters. “We should not surrender our voters’ cards to anyone so as to safeguard our votes and our future,†he said.