From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Nasarawa State has alleged that they received a report that some government officials are going round collecting the Voters Vin Number that is on Permanent Voter’s Card PVC of pensioners in a form designed by the agent’s of government in the state as a condition for payment of their pension and gratuities.
This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP Public Relations officer Nasarawa State, Mohammad Ibrahim Hamza sent to journalist on Monday.
The statement reads: it is a sad development and it’s unfortunate, giving the fact that these set of people sacrificed their productive years to effectively serve their fatherland, now needed the love, protection ,respect and care of government only to be treated this way, this is most inhuman and unconstitutional.
“It is pertinent to note that Payment of pension and gratuities to retired workers is not a privilege but a right for their entitlements. So for some government officials to begin to initiate partisan politics to the payment is most disheartening.”
“To this endy the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Nasarawa State wants to use this medidm to condemn the act in totality and urge INEC and all relevant security agencias tol go after the perpetrators and their sponsors arrest and prosecute them to serve as deterrent to others, while the pensioner’s are advice to resist this ugly temptation.”
“This is a clear manifestation and the handwork of enemies of democracy and Nigeria in their attempt to frustrate, manipulate, and to disrupt the electoral process and manipulate their way to power through dubious means.”
Meanwhile, Speaking to Daily Sun via telephone conversation, the state publicity secretary of the rulling All progressive Congress Douglas Ataru had refuted such allegations stressing that the statement was issued out of imagination.
He said it is very unholy” to have accused an administration that have shown transparency in all sectors noting that the PDP do not have the capacity to withstand the APC presence in the state that is why they have fallen to an unholy imagination.
” you know it is not true, that is not possible, the government of governor Abdullahi Sule is transparent, do not need to engaged in such imagination story to win election for his works are speaking for him. he said.