‘It’s Nonsense’ – Tinubu Angrily Reacts To CUPP’s Allegation Of ‘Bank Account Harvesting’ For Vote Buying

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, has responded angrily to an allegation that he plans to buy votes in the 2023 presidential election using bank accounts, voter verification numbers, and bank verification numbers harvested from voters.

The spokesperson of Tinubu’s campaign organization, Bayo Onanuga, railed at THE WHISTLER on Monday when our correspondent sought his comment on the allegation levelled by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

The CUPP, which is the umbrella body of about 17 opposition political parties in the country, had during a press conference in Abuja claimed that various support groups of Tinubu have harvested “over ten million account details” of voters in 22 states as part of plots by the APC candidate to induce voters during the 2023 election.

According to the opposition parties, the scheme tagged ‘Operation Wire-Wire (Digital Vote Buying)’ has the approval of the ruling APC “at the highest level” and is being executed by Tinubu’s support groups.

Onanuga described the allegation as “nonsense” and underserving of his response when our correspondent confronted him with the allegation.

“You people just come with all kinds of inventions (and) lies. I will not dignify it with any response…. Go and publish your rumour,” the APC campaign spokesman said.

When reminded that the allegation was made by the CUPP and not the media, Onanugo said “It’s nonsense, I am not going to respond to all that.”

Meanwhile, during the conference addressed by its spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the CUPP said the alleged vote-buying plot was “designed immediately after the announcement by the CBN on redesigning the Naira. This plot has now received approval at the highest level of the APC, and its Campaign Councils, also designed in Imo State and exported to twenty-one other states of the federation (and) require the party harvesting names, account numbers, and Voters Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers of citizens and arranged in tables for each polling units on the understanding that money will be sent to each person by electronic means to purchase their votes.

“This is a huge threat to the credibility and outcome of the 2023 general election, and it is against the provisions of the Electoral Account.”

The CUPP further fingered the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as having a hand in the alleged conspiracy.

“In Imo State and Ebonyi State, this plot is executed under the name APC Canvassing Form. In Ebonyi State, it is called Support Group Coordination, South East, while in other parts of the South East, like in Abia, it is Called APC Empowerment form. In Enugu and Anambra, it is executed as the All Progressives Congress Empowerment Form also. In Katsina State and other parts of the North West, the plot is executed under the Citizens Grassroots Farmers Association. In Ekiti State, they are operating under the Ekiti Development Front (EDF). In the North Central, Operation Wire-Wire is executed under the North Central Women for Tinubu.

“In Cross River State, the details are harvested under the Forum of Tinubu Support Groups. In the rest of the country, the APC is harvesting details using the Vote Canvassing Form. Our intelligence is that so far, as of November 20th, 2022, over ten million account details have been successfully harvested, and voter’s card details have been for vote buying.”

“Let us again start with Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Local Government Area, Oru East, and Oru West axis, especially Awomama, where the following account numbers, voters details, and other personal details have been harvested into the payment schedule and waiting for payment instructions.

“Eugene Ikwuoma with Access Bank Account Number that ends in 3620, BVN that ends in 5358, a phone number that ends in 4121, and VIN that ends in 8570

“Eluma Tony Ifeanyi with First Bank Account that ends in 8928, BVN that ends in 8702, a phone number that ends in 5144, and VIN that ends in 9260.

“That is how they have tabled these details in the unending list for 22 states of the federation for use during the election under Operation Wire-Wire (DIGITAL VOTE BUYING).”

The repeated its earlier claim on alleged plans by persons within the ruling APC to force the removal of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s verbal commitments that there was no plan to sack the INEC Chairman, that dastardly plot is still, unfortunately, alive and kicking even harder now within his party. There is still a plot to sack the INEC Chairman to frustrate the use of the BVAS machine and the cleaning up of the register.

“Countrymen, our intelligence is that following the publication of the voters register by the Commission on its website (note it is the entire register from 2011 till date), the initiators of the Omuma Magic, who many thought had ceased actions in their plot to remove the INEC Chairman set out again on the same ill-fated mission. This time, they claim that the INEC Chairman is working hard to see that the ruling party is voted out of office next year. They insist that INEC went beyond its bounds to publish the entire register, which has made it possible for citizens to make observations and objections on the register, particularly in states controlled by the ruling APC, to reduce their voting strength and prowess. On this basis, they claim the INEC Chairman is working for the opposition. What a shame!

“It is for this purpose that the Nigerian opposition and, indeed, all Nigerian citizens of goodwill have resolved that we shall resist and reject any form of the arrest of the INEC Chairman when he returns to the country (he is currently outside the country). We shall also vehemently resist and reject every form of resignation from office by the INEC Chairman, either forced or otherwise, or any other form or method of removal from office,” said Ugochinyere.