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 in the November 6 governorship election in the state.
PFN’s leader, Bishop Moses Ezedebeego, at a press conference in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, also cautioned politicians against taking actions that would mar the credibility of the poll.
PFN said: “We want to call on INEC to be an impartial umpire by giving all the candidates equal and level playing ground. 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 acquired to rig elections is blood money and will bring generational curses to the people involved.”
In the same vein, 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 elections in the state.
National Coordinator of SAG, Dr. Okwuoma Okeke, in a statement, said 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.
It noted 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, yet, foot dragging in accepting the vacation of the same order 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“How do we explain the latest judicial witch-hunt of an alleged suit instituted against “unpublished candidates” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APGA based on private submissions to INEC?
“How did the individuals gain access to the documents and what is their locus on the issue of the content of a form filled and submitted to the umpire? Why is INEC aiding and abetting subterfuge by a desperate candidate bent on excluding others so as to have a free ride to Anambra Government House?” Okeke queried.