By,Musa Jankada, Jalingo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has taken a swipe at the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) over what it described as the outrageous cost of intention forms ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Elections.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Aaron Artimas, made this known on Tuesday in Jalingo shortly after a meeting of the APC State Working Committee, where far-reaching resolutions were adopted.

According to Artimas, the APC resolved to encourage its members across the 16 local government areas to actively participate in the elections. Stakeholders, he said, were urged to meet urgently and produce consensus candidates for all elective positions.

To further ensure inclusiveness, the party leadership pledged to procure the intention forms for aspirants. But the APC lamented that TSIEC had deliberately pegged the cost at a prohibitive rate, describing the move as a calculated attempt to disenfranchise opposition parties.

The party went further to allege that TSIEC had already offered the forms to PDP-selected candidates on loan, insisting such an action was fraudulent, unacceptable, and a dangerous sign that the election outcome had been predetermined even before ballots were cast.

 “This is nothing short of an attempt to deny Tarabans a credible election. But despite these obstacles, APC will participate fully in the polls to demonstrate its strength and acceptance across the state,” Artimas declared.

With this, the APC has put TSIEC on notice, urging the commission to retrace its steps and guarantee a level playing field that will restore confidence in the electoral process.