2023: We didn’t vote N6.5trn to compromise INEC, buy votes – APC replies PDP

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it did not vote the sum of N6.5 trillion to compromise the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security operatives, judicial officers and to buy votes ahead of the 2023 elections.

The ruling party said it was focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians in hope that they would reciprocate by supporting and voting for the party’s candidates come 2023 elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Felix Morka, in a statement issued Monday said only a party that was a masterful looter of the national treasury such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could even imagine another capable of engaging in the kinds of atrocious acts the document suggests.

He noted that APC is a law-abiding party and has no need to engage in any fraud and electoral malpractice suggested in the document.

Morka said: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a document in circulation described as “leaked APC 2023 Election Document.

“Mischievously, the document alleged that our party has voted a whooping N6.5 trillion to fund schemes aimed at swaying the Nigerian electorate to support and vote for the party and its Presidential Candidate in 2023.

“Ridiculously, too, the document alleged that obscene amounts of money have been voted for outright vote-buying; compromising INEC staff; security operatives; judicial officers and other officials.”

Morka reiterated that APC remained committed to building an innovative system of free and credible elections as witnessed in the recently concluded governorship election in Ekiti State.

He also clarified that the document did not emanate from the party, adding that the party did not author any such document, either.

Morka added: “Indubitably, the document is the handiwork of very sick elements of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a desperate quest for unmerited electoral advantage by attempting to smear our Party with wrongdoing.

“In their zealous attempt to mudsling, the document’s authors senselessly alleged that our party proposes to apply nearly half of the country’s entire 2022 budget to buy votes. How in the world does a government operating a national budget of 17 trillion dole out N6.5trillion to rig elections? It clearly betrays the authors’ extreme ignorance of the complexity of the systems and processes for the appropriation and utilization of state funds.”

The party spokesperson, therefore, urged Nigerians to disregard the document as sleazy propaganda for which the PDP has gained notoriety.