The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the state House of Assembly re-run election slated for Saturday.

The re-run election will take place in Oloje and Alanamu wards of Ilorin West Constituency as ordered by the Appeal Court, sitting in Ilorin.

The ACN alleged that a serving commissioner in the state had been designated to liaise with the youth corps members in the state who are to be used as presiding officers at the election to help PDP manipulate the election.

Addressing newsmen at the party's secretariat in Ilorin yesterday, under the auspices of ACN Stakeholders' Forum, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, alleged that, "the PDP in the June 30 re-run election wants to embark on votes bulk purchase. We have it on authority which is impeccable that the honourable commissioner for energy has been designated to do some hatchet work for the party in the forthcoming re-run election."

But the PDP in a swift reaction debunked the ACN's allegation, describing it as baseless and unfounded.

PDP's publicity secretary, Alhaji Mas'ud Adebimpe said the ACN was only jittery about the "impending loss of another election."

He said PDP would win the election hands down given the fact that the factionalisation of the party in the build up to the last general elections, which gave the ACN false impression about its strength "no longer exists."

Adebimpe warned that, "Any attempt by the ACN to disrupt the election would be resisted using every legal means available at the PDP's disposal."

However, Oyedepo insisted that, "the commissioner on June 26, 2012 at his Oloje Block Industry premises held a secret meeting with the youth corps members with the aim of corrupting them in his efforts to manipulate the process on or before the Election Day. His intention is to use them to do ballot stuffing while the box would be on transit to the voting center or to the collation center."

"The commissioner has promised to continue with the meetings with the corps members until Friday June 29 when he hopes to seal the deal on his desire to use the presiding officers to manipulate the election process. After the meeting of the June 26, 2012, the commissioner gave all the attendees the sum of N2,000 each as transportation expenses.

"He equally gave them a juicy offer that the youth corps members are free to name their price. Negotiations on the price are scheduled for today June 27, or tomorrow June 28, 2012 when the actual corps members that would be used as presiding officers would have been determined."

"We have taken steps to inform the commissioner of police, Kwara State and the director, state security service (SSS) about all the information at our disposal. We believe that the security agencies would be equal to the task and will ensure that the will of the people prevails in the coming election.