PDP accuses INEC of disclosing vital information to APC

With the controversy over e-collation yet to settle, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of granting the All Progressives Congress (APC) remote access to its servers.

It claimed it was yet to be briefed on the identity of INEC’S accredited officials in the Saturday polls.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Nehikhare, the PDP alleged that the accredited officials had met with its opponent where privileged information was disclosed.

Nehekhare said it was worrisome that INEC has failed to respond to the party’s request for a meeting, despite the letter it had written to it.

The letter to INEC, according to the PDP reads in part: “As part of our preparations for the Edo State gubernatorial election slated for Saturday September 10, 2016, we have formally requested a meeting with the INEC officials.”

The officials in question are, the local council collation officers, returning officers, and personnel in charge of card readers, e-collation officers and members of the ICT team, who would conduct of the elections.

The letter continued: “As at today, the names and identities of these officials have not been made known to us. Public Information available to us is that INEC had granted similar requests made by the APC.

“We are informed that this was done in furtherance of a plan by certain officials of the INEC to grant the APC real time access to INEC’s e-collation platforms, in a bid to enable them to manipulate results of the election.”

Nehekhare added that the plan is to either alter the results at polling stations where they are losing, or disrupt the entire process where necessary.