Okwe Obi, Abuja
Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, the candidate of Allied People’s Congress (APM), Yusuf Mamman, has alleged threats to his life.
Mamman, who addressed reporters in Abuja, said the threats started when he refused to be bribed by agents of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state that he withdraw from the race.
The candidate has also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of refusing to accept the name of the party’s deputy candidate, an act he said that was done to truncate and weaken other political parties in the contest.
“There are little threats to my life. I don’t know what they have taken that they want to cover; that is why they want to ensure that the APC does not have any viable opposition in the election,” Mamman said.
“But we are resisting it, and we want the world to know. INEC is already working with the APC to truncate the election by suffocating other political parties to favour the APC. The process of rigging is gradually been perfected.
“Some major contenders in APC were disqualified. I don’t know how it was done. There are plans to disqualify other political parties from contesting elections using INEC institution.
“There is a grand plan for political parties that are lightweight and who will accept money through the Secretary to the State Government.
“I was approached to withdraw from the contest. Now, for those who refused to withdraw plans are that INEC will use legal technicalities to kick them out.
“As I am talking to you thirteen political parties have not been allowed to legally key in to the political process.
“It is in the law that there will be provisions that if you are duly nominated from the primaries, INEC will make provision for withdraw and replacement of candidate.
“We were written that our deputy candidate, is not duly nominated because of age. And it happened within the period of replacement. Today (Monday, 23 September) is the last day of replacement.
“We went to INEC office on Friday with the response for the replacement of the deputy candidate. Somehow it was delayed. Today, most of the people who were supposed to do the replacement said we have to go through INEC chairman office.
“Of course, we have written to him. And he is aware that today is the last day but there are plans to delay for these party to come in.
“From intelligence report, INEC is working to disqualify candidates that they know can compete with APC in Kogi State,” he explained.