Pre-election, Election Day and post-election day fraud

Dear Editor,
Various methods were used in the past to rig elections. These can be classified as pre-election fraud, Election Day fraud and post-election fraud.
In the pre-election, it’s about the selection of the GECOM Head, delaying of elections, the padding of the voters’ list with persons not eligible to vote and disenfranchising of voters by names not on the voters’ list or because of errors. In the past, there was the fraudulent use of proxy, postal and overseas voting. During the election there is seizure and tampering of the ballot boxes, multiple voting by PNC members and supporters, ejection of polling agents, intimidation of voters, failure to use the electoral ink on the fingers of PNC supporters, large-scale use of the army and thugs to perpetrate several acts of violence to scare voters away, and failure of Police to prevent violations of the law.
The post-election period sees undue delays in the vote counts and refusals to re-count close results as in the one-vote difference in Region Eight which would have probably given the one seat to the PPP/C. The rigging arsenal of the PNC has no shortage of ammunition.
However, in the last Local Government Elections (LGE), the PNC became complacent or probably attempted to gauge its popularity and thus felt that there was no need to activate its rigging machinery which since 1985 was oiled and placed in storage.
We have also seen that it was a strategy of the PNC in the past to postpone the holding of elections to facilitate rigging and from the various GECOM-aided delaying tactics currently being employed, it is pellucid that the PNC-controlled coalition feared a massive defeat at the General Elections if they are held as constitutionally due by March 21. They have not only failed to deliver on their campaign promises but they have eroded the economic gains made by the PPP/C Government who had inherited a bankrupt economy from the same PNC in 1992. Hordes of the coalition’s own supporters have now rejected them and in just over 3 years, the PNC’s partner in crime, the AFC, has completely disintegrated except for the few hustlers and thieves who remained.
In the last LGE, the AFC tried in vain to be ‘fit and proppa’ to effect its own brand of electoral fraud but sadly this later became exposed by the results of the LGE itself when they got far fewer votes than the number of their backers’ lists. On the other hand, the PNC became shell-shocked by its LGE demolition and was later blasted by Amna’s ricochet “bring it on” boast. Both the PNC and the AFC have now realised that they are two losers who can complement each other, with the AFC continuing its subservient role.
It is evident that the pre-election rigging process is activated and that these delaying tactics are only meant to give the PNC enough time to put its entire rigging apparatus in place. However, this should not be allowed to happen since Article 106 of the Constitution has made it clear that Elections must be held within the 90-day period and the High Court’s decision has supported this. Many arguments have been proposed by the Leader of the Opposition and other prominent political commentators and reputable local and international organisations which support the holding of General Elections.
Will the coalition risk the wrath of the local and international community to illegally remain in Government so that it could perpetuate a massive electoral rigging? They can, they have done it before!

Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
RDC Councillor Region Six