Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Anambra State chapter, yesterday, cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against making itself a willing tool in the hands of election riggers during the governorship election in the state.
PFN’s leader, Bishop Moses Ezedebeego, at a press conference at its secretariat in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, cautioned politicians against taking actions that would mar the credibility of the poll.
This is even as a pressure group, Save Anambra Group (SAG), said that it was not comfortable with the attitude of the electoral body towards ensuring free and fair election in the state.
PFN said: “We want to call on INEC to be an impartial umpire by giving all the candidates equal and level playing ground. The INEC must resist the temptation of being used by anyone to rig the election.
“We are calling on all the voters to guard their voters after voting and resist any form of rigging in the coming election. Any money gotten to rig elections is blood money and will bring generational curses to the people involved.”
National Coordinator of SAG, Dr. Okwuoma Okeke, in a statement, said that the group has watched the events surrounding the acceptance of candidates for the poll; and has concluded that all was not right with the way INEC has carried itself so far.
SAG said that the hurried recognition of some candidates and rejection of others by the electoral body did not show that it has respect for equal standards.
“How can any sane person not see the obvious attempt to whittle down the strength of some parties by denying their candidates recognition? Why the hurried acceptance of a court judgement from Birnin Kudu, and yet dithering to accept vacation of the same by a superior court?
“It is no longer a secret that INEC is playing to the script of some external forces bent on foisting an unpopular party and candidate on the people of Anambra State.
“How do we explain the latest judicial witch-hunt of an alleged suit instituted against “unpublished candidates” of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APGA based on private submissions to INEC?
