Again, DSS accuses APC of illegal registration of voters

The Department of State Security (DSS) is on a warpath with
the All Progressives Congress(APC) again as the agency has
accused the party in Imo State of fraudulent voter’s
registration.
The fresh allegation by DSS is coming two days after the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exonerated
APC in the accusation that it was planning to hack into the
website of the commission. DSS had, after raiding the Lagos
office of APC, alleged that the party was illegally registering
members. It also alleged that the party had plans to hack into
INEC’s website. The commission, however, said on
Wednesday that there was no indication that its website was
under a threat.
In its letter to the Resident Electoral Commission,INEC, Owerri,
DSS in a letter titled: “Illegal Registration of Electorate by All
Progressives Congress” and signed by the state Director of
Security, OP Adegboye alerted the commission of the illegal
registration of residents of the state who do not have
Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) by the state chapter of APC.
The agency announced that four suspects, Ben Njemanze,
Nnadi Michael, Stella Njemanze and Adanna Nze – were
arrested at Emekuku Comprehensive College, Emekuku, Owerri
North LGA while allegedly carrying out the illegal registration.
The letter stated that “on 9th January 2015, about 1350
hours, at Emekuku Comprehensive College, Emekuku, Owerri-
North , four (4) members of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) were arrested on suspicion of illegally registering
members of the public who are yet to collect their Permanent
Voters Cards (PVCs) from INEC”
The agency explained, “investigation revealed that the
registration exercise is statewide and is sequel to a directive
by the state leadership of the party (APC) and allegedly by
Gov Rochas Okorocha, who distributed registers with INEC
inscription to party excos in all the electoral wards in the
state for onward distribution to all polling booths for the
above exercise.
“The action of the APC is generating tension among
supporters of other political parties who view the exercise as
part of a grand plan by APC to compromise the electoral
process , with a view to rigging the 2015 polls.
“The fear of this category of electorate is further heightened
by the fact that INEC in the state has dissociated itself from
the exercise being carried out jointly by the APC and the state
government.”
DSS recommended that “in the light of the foregoing , it is
imperative for INEC to caution those engaging in such
activities and reject any list that may be presented to it on
behalf of those yet to be registered”.
The security agency alleged that 90 persons were registered in
the Emekuku exercise. The names were attached in the letter
to INEC.
The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
had earlier accused DSS of deliberately working to dent the
reputation of the party. He said it was untrue that the party
was engaging in illegal registration of the voters.