48 hours after Obasanjo’s allegations, Theophilus Danjuma raises alarm over plans to rig 2019 elections

Some prominent Nigerians have been alerting the country about alleged rigging plots in the forthcoming 2019 general elections

– A former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), has added his voice to the allegations

– Danjuma said there is a sinister plan to cause unrest and mayhem in some states, aimed at systematically manipulating the elections

A former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), has alleged that there is a plot by some people he described as elements of primitive democracy, to rig the 2019 general elections in several parts of the country.

Danjuma, 80, made the statement on Tuesday, January 22, at the inauguration of a medical laboratory at Rufkatu Danjuma Maternity Hospital in Takum, Taraba state, THISDAY reports.

According to him, there is a sinister plan to cause unrest and mayhem in some states, including Taraba aimed at systematically manipulating the elections.

The former minister of defence allegation is coming days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)- led federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of planning to rig the forthcoming elections.

He, however, advised the people of Taraba state to be very cautious of the intrigues so as not to fall prey of the plot of the evil elements just as he urged them to remain calm in the face of any provocation.

While urging the people of the state to remain vigilant and steadfast, the elder statesman charged them to protect their votes by ensuring that their votes and the choices they made at the polls are counted.

His words: “We must be careful, if we want another four years for our able governor Architecht Darius Ishaku. We must work hard for peace in addition to just registering and obtaining our Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

“There is no need for us to fight ourselves because they will use police and soldiers to destabilise us and rig elections. It is in our best interest to ensure there is peace. We will suffer all provocation, because there is going to be enough provocation between now and the time of election.

“Those behind this plot know that they will not win election if there is peace. I want to call on you not to sell your votes because you will be selling your birthright if you do so.

“I beg everyone of you to maintain peace so that there are no surprises and so that we can have peaceful elections and there is no postponement as a result of instability.

“The last time, even when Darius political party was the ruling party, he was made to go into a run-off three times. This time, they have perfected rigging. Once you don’t win the first time they will sit down and write the result in the run-off for their candidate. This is the primitive democracy we have in Nigeria today.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over his comments against Obasanjo, describing it as disrespectful, reckless, unguarded and indecorous.

The party was responding to the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader’s comments on Obasanjo after the former president took the APC-led federal government to the cleaners over its performance in office.

The PDP in a statement sent to TrackNews by its spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan, on Tuesday, January 22, said, Tinubu in his tirade against the former president, “sounded like a disrobed ruler facing a pang of defeat as he watches his empire being legitimately taken.”