The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have jointly accused the Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a plot to manipulate the upcoming bye-elections in the state.

The allegations, contained in a joint statement issued on Thursday, claim that the APC is planning to sabotage the electoral process for the bye-elections scheduled for August 16 in Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and the State Constituencies of Sabon Gari and Zaria.

According to the coalition, the ruling party has resorted to underhanded tactics because it is "unelectable" and cannot win through legitimate means. The statement explicitly accused the APC of planning to rely on "thuggery, vote-buying, and the compromise of electoral officials" to secure victory.

"It is now clear that the APC government intends to disrupt the bye-elections, manipulate the process, and seize victories in polls they cannot win through a fair and transparent contest," the statement read.

The opposition coalition claims to have "credible intelligence" that the APC government in Kaduna State has recruited approximately 4,000 thugs from within and outside the state. These individuals are allegedly being positioned to intimidate citizens and opposition officials at polling units and collation centers during the elections.

In more serious allegations, the coalition accused senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of accepting plots of land and other inducements to influence the election outcome in favor of the ruling party.

The statement further alleged that each of Kaduna's 23 local governments had been compelled to contribute ₦30 million to what they described as an "election sabotage fund." Additionally, they claimed that ₦4.8 billion had been sourced from Abuja specifically for vote-buying, bribing election officers, and compromising security agents.

"These assaults on election integrity are being coordinated at the highest levels of the state government," the coalition emphasized, naming a serving commissioner and several local government officials as key actors in the alleged plot.

The statement specifically mentioned officials in Kudan, Soba, and Zaria local government councils, accusing them of recruiting thugs to attack opposition events and disrupt their campaigns.

In response to these perceived threats, the coalition has called on INEC to ensure the neutrality of its officials and demonstrate commitment to respecting voters' will. They specifically urged the electoral body to remove any compromised personnel from the election process and replace them with "fresh, impartial staff immediately."

The coalition also warned that failure to address these concerns could lead to "unpredictable reactions" from their supporters and the general public.

As of the time of reporting, the APC in Kaduna State has not responded to these allegations.

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