A pro democracy group, the Initiative for Peaceful Abia (IPA) has warned the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State against using violence to subvert the will of the people during Saturday’s governorship and national assembly elections in the state.
The group which issued the warning in a statement on Wednesday, accused the state government of mounting pressure on the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to announce the PDP winner of the election, irrespective of the actual outcome of the polls.
IPA alleged that Okezie Ikpeazu, the state governor, intends to open the state’s vault ahead of the elections to enable him loot what remains of the state’s funds
“We are aware of desperate and wicked plans by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia state to mount pressure on officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the party as winner of Saturday’s gubernatorial election. We are also aware of a plot by the party to take all necessary steps to defend a fraudulent outcome, including killing of Abia people, to retain power. We also understand that efforts have been made to compromise security agencies but have been rebuffed” the group said.
“We have it on good authority that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu intends to open the state’s vault ahead of the elections to enable him loot what remains of the state’s funds. He should be aware that he will account for every money illegally taken from the state coffers when he leave office, after his party would have been kicked out of the political scene of the state.
“We sympathise with Okezie Ikpeazu as he tries to recover from the excruciating loss of the February 25 polls, when the PDP was roundly rejected by Abia people, exemplified by the way the governor was roundly beaten during the senatorial elections,
“Power only comes from God and Abia people are no longer with Mr Governor and his evil party. God has been gracious by allowing Ikpeazu to seamlessly complete an 8-year tenure despite securing a dubious mandate. What he owes the people of the state is a rancour-free election on Saturday and a peaceful transition on May 29.”