The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to rig the 2023 presidential election. 

The party alleged that the plot was hatched between Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and the APC State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, at a meeting held in Abuja.   

“Against the background of unfulfilled promises made to Nigerians in 2015 and 2019, the leadership of the APC has perfected a plot to compromise the electoral process by recruiting fake Youth Corps Members to serve as Presiding Officers during the general elections,” Kennedy Peretei, PDP spokesman in Ondo alleged in a statement. 

The governing APC in Ondo has described the allegation of the PDP as “laughable”, noting that the opposition was only “jittery” ahead of the 2023 election. 

Mr Peretei also alleged that a “marching order” was given during a meeting of APC leaders in the state to identify five leaders in each of the 18 LGAs to coordinate the plot. 

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to be an accomplice, saying Nigerians want the 2023 elections to be devoid of rigging and violence.

“If President Muhammad Buhari failed tragically to provide security, and also failed to sustain the prosperous economy he inherited, the least expectation from him is to deliver free, fair, and credible elections in 2023,” the statement further read.

The opposition party further called on President Buhari not to allow desperate politicians in his party (APC), to destroy whatever was remaining of his “battered image.”

Reacting in an interview with our reporter, the Director of Publicity of APC in Ondo, Steve Otaloro, said the allegations coming from the PDP were baseless. 

Mr Otaloro explained that the PDP was already jittery about the APC winning the election, noting that the party was unbothered by the allegations.

“The statement only showed how jittery the PDP is ahead of the 2023 election. It is even unfortunate that the opposition party is still trying to find its feet in terms of its candidate not receiving total support from all members,” Mr Otaloro told The Gazette.

He added, “Although we would have brushed their statement aside since our party leaders, Governor Akeredolu and Adetimehin, were mentioned, we have to react and set the records. 

“For an opposition party to say we want to perpetrate fraud in a digitally-run election, it is laughable. And gone are those days during their own time that you can capture or snatch ballot papers. Youth corps are credible people. So, why would anyone want to use them?

“Even if the electoral body decided to use PDP members as Presiding Officers in this coming election, we as APC would still defeat them. Sadly, their candidate does not even resonate with the people of Ondo state,” Mr Otaloro said.