By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Abia State Government again has raised the alarm over an alleged ingenious plan by some yet-to-be identified political forces to subtly manipulate elections in the State through the disenchantment of unsuspecting voters.
A statement late on Monday, July 7 2025, from Ferdinand Ekeoma ,the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media Matters alleged that some political actors have deployed their agents to various wards in the state to “fraudulently obtain information contained in the Voters Cards PVCs of prospective voters in the rural areas in exchange for the sum of N10,000 each.”
“The State Government further alleged that the exercise is being carried out under the guise of creating a nonexistent e-wallet empowerment for the victims.
According to the authorities, the intention of the sponsors of the alleged criminal act is to compromise the integrity of the PVCs, and subsequently render their owners ineligible to vote during future elections, particularly the 2027 polls.
“The Abia State Government has carried out empowerment programmes for the youth and elderly across the State, and will continue to carry out empowerments, like the Abia State Interest Free Loan Empowerment Scheme for over 10,000 Abians, the Abia Techrise Project , Training of Abia Youth in Agricultural skills in Nasarawa state and subsequent funding by the Government etc without politicization ,and or attaching questionable preconditions aimed at violating the rights of the people.
“Government views this deliberate act of criminality as an irresponsible act and warns that any person or group of persons, no matter how highly placed, caught indulging in this criminality , directly or through agents ,shall face severe consequences beyond their imagination.
“Finally, Government wishes to call on Abians, especially, rural dwellers, to henceforth distance themselves from any individual or group who may approach them for the purpose of obtaining information contained in their PVCs or any other personal details that can disenfranchise or endanger them in any way”, the statement reads in part.
The Source reports that this is the second time in less than two months that the Abia State Government will allegedl plans by the opposition in the State to compromise the 2027 polls.
About fives weeks ago, the State Government had equally accused the immediate past Governor of the State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu of perfecting plans to rig the 2027 elections.
The Government’s allegation, however, came against the backdrop of the alarm earlier raised by the former Governor and his Peoples Democratic party, PDP, over the alleged disruption of their gathering at his country home in Umuobiakwa Community in the Obingwa Local Council.
They alleged that the State Special Joint Security Taskforce “Operation Crush”, acting on the directives of Governor Otti, invaded and violently disrupted a meeting between the former Governor and those who served under his administration.
But the State Government had insisted that the meeting was ill-motivated, ill-timed and sinister, noting that the former Governor, at the said meeting, was rehearsing a general plan on how to manipulate the 2027 elections in the State.
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