The African Democratic Congress governorship campaign in Ekiti State has accused agents of the All Progressives Congress of collecting Permanent Voter Cards and National Identification Numbers from residents ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
The allegation was made on Monday by the Director of Communications, Media and Publicity of the Dare Bejide Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, during a press briefing in Ado Ekiti.
Aribisogan claimed that individuals allegedly working for the APC were moving around parts of the state offering money, food items and other forms of assistance in exchange for voters' PVCs and NIN details.
According to him, the exercise was aimed at suppressing votes and manipulating the electoral process.
He urged residents not to surrender their voter cards or personal identification details to any political group, insisting that such actions could undermine their voting rights.
The ADC spokesman also alleged that some political actors were recruiting individuals and dressing them in counterfeit uniforms resembling those of the Amotekun Corps.
He claimed that the alleged operatives were being prepared to intimidate voters, disrupt polling activities and target opposition agents during the election.
Aribisogan described the development as an attempt to tarnish the image of the regional security outfit and create confusion among voters.
He called on the leadership of the Ekiti State Amotekun Corps and security agencies to investigate the allegations and apprehend anyone found unlawfully wearing the organisation's uniform.
The ADC campaign further appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission to intensify monitoring activities in areas considered vulnerable and caution residents against releasing their PVCs and NIN information.
Aribisogan urged eligible voters to resist intimidation and participate freely in the electoral process.
However, the APC dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and unfounded.
The party's Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Segun Dipe, said modern electoral technology had made it impossible for anyone to vote using another person's voter card.
He questioned the rationale behind the alleged PVC collection exercise, insisting that the opposition party lacked a proper understanding of how the electoral system operates.
Dipe also rejected claims that the APC was sponsoring individuals in fake Amotekun uniforms.
According to him, the security outfit was established by an APC-led government and operates within a clearly defined mandate that has no connection with election activities.
He maintained that the allegations were merely political propaganda and urged the public to disregard them.
The exchange comes as political activities intensify in Ekiti State ahead of the governorship election, with major parties stepping up campaigns and trading accusations over the conduct of the poll.
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