By Lukman Olabiyi
Ahead of forthcoming Lagos East
Senatorial District bye-election that will hold on December 5, both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State have engaged each other on allegations of voting buying.
In a separate statements by the parties, both APC and PDP raised the alarm of attempt to buy vote on the date fixed for the poll.
While some residents of the senatorial district have also collaborated the claim’s of APC, alleging that PDP has perfected plan to buy vote with N5, 000 each.
The concerned residents who were in different area of senatorial district asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Police and other security agencies to be at alert, warning that they would resist any plot to undermine the process.
Specifically, Mr.Jimoh Hamzat alleged that he was aware of the PDP’s plan to buy a vote with N5, 000 to win the bye-election at all cost, which according to him, would be resisted and frustrated.
Hamzat, an Ikorodu resident, warned against any attempt by the main opposition party “to buy votes on the day of the bye-election. We are waiting for them. We will resist any plot to manipulate the outcome of the bye-election.”
Protesting PDP’s alleged vote-buying plot, a youth leader in Bariga, Mr. Basheer Martins acknowledged that he was aware of the illegal attempts but promised to resist it.
In his own statement, an Epe resident, Mr. Olatunde Giwa alleged that most agents of the PDP had been harassing peace-loving people, which he argued, could lead to violence and hijacking of ballot boxes on the day of the bye-election.
However, in another statement to counter the allegations against his party, PDP spokeperson, Taofik Gani, described as laughable and unbelievable the allegation by the ruling Lagos APC that his party has planned to buy votes with five thousand Naira per voter.
The PDP further described the APC outburst as a clear case of a defeatist, paranoia and hopeless contestant whose shame at the poll is imminent.
According to the PDP, all votes will be voluntarily given to PDP to reflect the disenchantment with the APC candidates who have displayed highest level of desperations to contest in areas they do not qualify to so contest.
The PDP opines that the APC may have also verified the results of the polls released 3 days ago which favour the PDP candidates and thus resorted to blackmail and early exhibition of bad sportsmanship.
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