Group Alleges PVC-For-Subsidy-Palliative Antics, Voter Suppression In Kogi

The Kogi Unity Agenda (KUA) a pro-Jibrin Oyibe Usman campaign organisation for the November 11, 2023 governorship election on the platform of Accord Party in Kogi State has alleged suppression of potential voters in the eastern and western senatorial districts by some suspected pro-government agents.

The campaign organisation in a statement on Friday which was signed by Samson Atekojo Usman indicated that some individuals under the guise of working for the state government were going about demanding Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from persons and group leaders for payment of subsidy palliatives.

According to the group, the development does not only constitute voter suppression, but is also a panic move to disenfranchise voters during the governorship election in the affected senatorial districts where the governor’s anointed candidate, Ododo Ahmed Usman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot get 5 percent of votes.

Usman in the statement said some local government council chairmen were involved in the scam which was mostly directed at vulnerable and illiterate persons with voter cards, as well as associations and groups in the promise that they would be paid stipends by the Kogi State government as subsidy palliatives.

The KUA added that it was aware of several manipulative strategies being put in place ahead of the governorship election, stressing that voter card for subsidy palliative is one of such strategies to suppress votes, but asked the electorate to resist attempts to force a stooge on them.