Akeredolu distances self from online scams, vows to prosecute perpetrators
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised an alarm over a purported national membership registration website on trending on social media.In statement by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, it said the website: apcregistration.com was unauthorised, describing it as a scam aimed at defrauding millions of its supporters in the country.

It declared that the fake website was sponsored by one of the opposition political parties in its desperate plot to harvest APC’s members ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Urging its supporters to take advantage of the ongoing continuous nationwide membership registration exercise in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the party urged security agencies to urgently investigate those behind the website and its sponsors.

The registration exercise includes fresh registrations and revalidation of existing members for the purposes of issuance of its permanent membership cards.The party also reiterated its call on the National Assembly to urgently do the needful by reconvening to consider and pass the 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Condemning any attempts to weaken INEC ahead of the 2019 elections, it urged the electorate to resist desperate politicians who are bent on deploying illegal, undemocratic and sinister means to manipulate elections.

It noted that the call was coming against the backdrop of the recent seizure of a Nigerian-bound ship detained in South Africa for carrying arms and explosives.“This is a red-flag security agencies must note and be alert to as political activities heighten prior to the 2019 polls. We invite the opposition to wake up to new realities where votes count and the people’s will prevail in elections,” the statement reads.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has dissociated himself from some social media platforms used for swindling unsuspecting Nigerians through a Canada lottery.

A statement issued yesterday in Akure by his Chief Press Secretary Segun Ajiboye, disclosed that the state government discovered that fraudsters were impersonating the governor and selling lottery forms.

“The attention of Ondo state Governor, has been drawn to activities of fraudsters on social media platforms asking youths to pay certain amounts of money to secure forms for a Canada lottery.

“Investigations revealed that a fake Facebook account was opened in the governor’s name. The fake account was used to ask interested youths to secure forms for a fee,” the statement reads.Ajiboye, who disclosed that investigation was ongoing to arrest the perpetrators of the crime, cautioned members of the public against dealing with the fraudsters.