In an effort to sabotage the 2023 general election, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has raised the alarm over an alleged new plot to depose Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).


The claim was made during a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja by the CUPP, which includes the majority of the opposition political parties in the nation, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party.


Ikenga Ugochinyere, the chairman of the CUPP, who spoke on behalf of the opposition parties, claimed that the coalition had discovered new schemes to disrupt the electronic transmission of election results at the polls and disable the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).


Ugochinyere claimed that a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party in power, was in charge of the conspiracy in the South East region of the organization.


In its most recent press conference, the coalition had accused Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma of engaging in fraudulent voter registration, drawing a rebuke from INEC.


The CUPP chairman claimed that the alliance had uncovered information about "a new plot against the 2023 election, this time being coordinated by leading figures of the ruling APC Party, APC Governors led by a South East APC Governor with a questionable past and another from the North West who are working with their colleagues to perfect a plot to intimidate INEC leadership into giving up the use of electronic transmission and uploading of election results to the INEC server.


The following is a portion of the statement: "This latest intelligence and shocking information involve the use of security agencies, the APC-controlled Senate, and the court to cause a leadership crisis and change that will see the removal of the Commission's top leadership led by Prof. Mahmud Yakubu and the appointment of a pushover and compromised acting Chairman who will ruin the credibility of the 2023 election by deactivating the BVAS machine from INEC server, stop the use of electronic voting, and other drastic measures."


"We, the Chairmen and Leaders of the Different Political Parties Here (AA, Labour, PDP, ADC, APP ETC), Candidates of the Different Political Parties, CSOS, and Leaders of the Opposition Coalition CUPP categorically state that any plan to destabilize INEC and force the Top Officials of the Commission, including the INEC Chairman out of office, whether with False Charges, Manipulated Security Report, Instigated or Coordinated Parliamentary Again, the majority of Nigerians, civil society organizations, political party leaders, and individuals would not accept these.


Any additional moves in this direction "would be rejected vigorously as playing with fire, a direct affront and challenge to Nigerian people and the entire political parties.


The voice of the opposition can be heard by reading the thoughts, eyes, soul, and heart. Anyone who persists with this purportedly terrible plan will not fare well.


"We can state that the opposition is in receipt of information that the INEC leadership, especially senior officials, are being put under immense pressure to abandon the use of the BVAS machine, result transmission, and in particular to deactivate the BIVAS from the server, an alleged dangerous request that if ever granted under any circumstances can throw Nigeria into turmoil.


We have also been told that there is a scheme to remove the top leadership of the Commission and bring about a broad shift with fewer than 140 days till the elections. It is forbidden to discuss the purported scheme to get Prof. Mahmud Yakubu and senior INEC officials removed. It won't be accepted by the county's political parties. Some APC chieftains and governors, including a contentious South East APC governor, are accused of orchestrating this purported conspiracy. If this conspiracy is not foiled, it could taint our election and cause a catastrophe in Nigeria. One man's ambition or a group of people's desire to maintain what was hijacked from the people cannot justify the destruction of our institution.


"We are also informed that a conspiracy exists to bring about a radical change with fewer than 140 days till the elections and to remove the top leadership of the Commission. It is forbidden to discuss the purported plan to fire Prof. Mahmud Yakubu and other senior INEC officials. The country's political parties will not accept it. This purported scheme has reportedly been orchestrated by a number of APC chieftains and governors, including a contentious South East APC governor. If this conspiracy is not thwarted, it could taint our election and put Nigeria in danger. Our institution cannot be destroyed in order for one guy to fulfill his ambition or for a group of people to retain what was taken from the people.


“Nigeria political parties chairmen, leaders, chieftains of opposition CUPP, AA, Labour, PDP, APP, ADC etc, will not accept, and we repeat, accept any plan to stop the electronic transmission of results,  use of BVAS. we will not accept or agree for any election to be conducted without electronic transmission of results, we will resist any person or plot to deactivate the BVAS from the INEC server, we will resist any hurriedly or arranged plot to force, blackmail, use trump up charges, cooked up security report or any method to force the INEC chairman or any of his commissioners out of office. know it today, opposition and political party leaders and Nigerian voters are aware, ready, and united to defend the electoral process.


"Repeat with us: No BVAS, no server, no electronic result transmission, no destabilization or illegal attempt to compel commission high officials, including the INEC chair, means no election. The people will stand up for it with all of our hearts in 2023, so anyone who believes they can manipulate state institutions—judicial and other—to gain control should beware. A few desperate APC leaders and governors who are aware that they and their supported candidates are no longer electable will not be successful in trying to replay the Onnoghen formula. The strategy to obliterate the sole chance for our election represented by the electronic gadgets that will also communicate results electronically, particularly BIVAS, will be resisted," he said.








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