The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a Parallel Voters Tabulation (PVT) system which it said is designed to hold election authorities accountable.
The PDP also said it is deploying an unprecedented number of trained party agents to each of the 176,000 polling units across the country, adding that they have been trained in the electoral process, understand their rights to be present, and have data and SMS technologies to report the results as they are certified by the INEC officers at the polling units in real-time.
This was disclosed by the chairman of PDP Strategy Committee of the Presidential campaign, Osita Chidoka, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
Chidoka also noted that the PDP is aware that the All Progressives Congress (APC) intends to repeat the tactic it used for the Osun State governorship election in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Kaduna, Kano, and Rivers states.
Noting that PDP has studied the APC play book, he boasted that the party has adopted international best practices to halt the ruling parties plans which include, “establishing a robust elections results management system and wide array of intelligence collectors and patriotic public servants who are resolute in defending the Constitution and the integrity of the electoral process.”
Chidoka, who expressed confidence that election officials and security services will do their duty in accordance with their oaths and obligations, however warned that there will be consequences if they try to compromise the integrity of the election.
Giving insight into how PDP is preparing for the election, he said “A state-of-the-art Parallel Voting Tabulation (PVT) system is in place:
“The PVT is a scientifically proven, best practice technique, to hold election authorities accountable, particularly when there is a lack of trust, and the results are highly contested.
“The PVT is a tool that will assure that PDP partisans accept the results of the election, and that the country remains peaceful and respectful of its differences. We are aware that other PVTs will be conducted by civil society.
“Our methodology accounts for several different scenarios to ensure continued collation of the results in the event of any disruptions with collation process.
“Hard copies of the signed voter tally provided to all party agents by the NEC officers, will be transported to the central command center should future disputes need to be reconciled.”
He also said “A national network of fully equipped Situation Rooms and call centers: PDP has established a reporting system for the PVT through the wards, to the district headquarters, to the States to the national tally center”.
The former Aviation Minister disclosed that the party’s agents have been trained in the electoral process, understand their rights to be present, and have data and SMS technologies to report the results as they are certified by the election officials at the polling units in real-time.
Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said to the party has mobilised over 40 million of its members and directed its supporters to stand shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in all the polling centers across the federation “in the overall determination to vehemently unleash full-scale resistance against President Buhari and APC’s rigging plans.”
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Ologbondiyan said PDP is resolute to lead in the fronts in the pursuit of the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians to take the destiny of our nation in their hands.
The party directed its members to arrive at their polling centers very early and be ready to vote and to use every legitimate means to protect themselves from any aggression, resist all rigging plans.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
