APC decline alleged plotted protests to shift 2015 election

The All Progressives Congress has condemned the "reported plan" by the
advocates of the postponement of next month's general elections to
sponsor protests across the country against the Independent National
Electoral Commission as a way of forcing the commission to shift the
elections, scheduled forFebruary 14 and 28.
In a statement in Lagoson Fridayby its National Publicity Secretary,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party alleged those pushing for the elections
to be shifted were also seeking to instigate the National Youth
Service Corps members, who would serve as ad-hoc staff for INEC during
the polls, to say they would not be safe in some part of the country
during the elections.
It said even if the NYSC members refused to participate in the
elections in certain parts of the country, which would be within their
right, there will be no shortage of those willing to serve as ad-hoc
staff
"It has also come to our notice that these election-shift proponents
are holding clandestine meetings with various groups, including a
section of the media, to recruit them for their dubious campaigns to
force a postponement of the election," APC said.
The party added, however, that all the shenanigans of the
election-shift advocates will fail, as Nigerians have seen through
them and have stepped up their collection of PVCs in readiness for the
elections.
It said, "The assurances by INEC that 65 million PVCs are now ready
and that the remaining 3.8 million will be ready in due course have
heightened the belief among Nigerians that the electoral umpire is
indeed ready, willing and able to conduct the elections as scheduled.
"That is why we are surprised that instead of encouraging Nigerians,
who have not done so, to go and collect their PVCs, instead of heeding
the advice for the declaration of a three-day public holidays to
enable working class people to collect their PVCs, all they are
interested in is how to sponsor various dubious individuals and groups
to stage protests against INEC.
"The PDP has variously said it is ready for the elections as
scheduled, but not once has it urged Nigerians to go and collect their
PVCs, knowing full well that the problem now is more of collection
than anything else. The Presidency has also not made any effort to
encourage Nigerians to collect their PVCs. Instead, it has been openly
pushing for the elections to be shifted on the basis of inadequate PVC
distribution, as shown by the call in London recently by the National
Security Adviser.
"Undoubtedly, public funds have been deployed to sponsor 'talking
heads' to make the TV rounds to parrot the lies that over 30 million
voters have yet to collect their PVCs, when INEC has said 42.7 million
out of 68.8 million PVCs have been collected, and that it will
distribute PVCs until the eve of the polls.
"These anti-election antics are too glaring for Nigerians not to
notice. The dirty tricks point to one and one thing only: The PDP and
the Presidency are mortally terrified of the elections being held as
scheduled, because they know they will surely lose."
Firstclassnewsline.net
The party called on INEC to urgently decentralise the distribution of
the PVCs to the polling units to enhance collection efforts, while
appealing to Nigerians to make extra efforts to collect their PVCs so
that the PDP and the Presidency will run out of excuses for trying to
dodge the elections.
"On our part, we will continue with our campaign for Nigerians to
collect their PVCs, and we hereby re-state our stand that under no
circumstances shall we accept the postponement of the elections. We
are ready for theFebruary 14 and 28general elections," it said.
Firstclassnewsline.net