The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo State, Mr Dan Orbih, accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of masterminding the postponement of the governorship election in the state.
Orbih made the allegation at a news conference at the party’s secretariat on Wednesday, in Benin.
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had last Thursday announced the rescheduling of the election from September 10 to September 28.
It had explained that the shift was in compliance with security alert from the Police and Department of State Service (DSS).
Orbih alleged that Oshiomohole colluded with Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State and a female staff of the INEC to postpone the election.
He said that the postponement was to enable the governor and the All Progressives Congress, to perfect “their evil plans of buying Permanent Voters Cards, across the 18 local government area of the state’’.
According to him, Oshiomhole called for postponement to enable him manipulate the card reader.
“Oshiomhole has also perfected some plans to use the police to arrest PDP leaders in the state, especially those he recently attacked with thugs for refusing his car gifts.
“He has invited militants from neighbouring state and lodged them in various hotels ahead of the rescheduled election,” the chairman alleged.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the state to up their game ahead of the September 28 gubernatorial election.
He also appealed to INEC, “as an independent body, not to be used by some desperate politicians to rig the election”.
But countering the PDP allegations, the Director-General of the APC Governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki's Campaign Organisation, Mr Osarodion Ogie, raised an alarm over sinister plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to create tension and possible mayhem in the state ahead of the September 28, 2016, governorship election.
According to Ogie, “we have information on the plot by the PDP to acquire rickety vehicles in different parts of the state, brand them with PDP logo and posters and thereafter set them ablaze. They will then claim that supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were mobilised to attack them.
“The purpose of this evil plan is to portray the APC as a party which abhors opposition views and brand its supporters as violent, thereby causing public disaffection against the party and its candidate.
“We wish to inform the good people of Edo State that the All Progressives Congress has no plan to attack, vandalise or set ablaze any campaign vehicle of the opposition PDP because the APC is a peace-loving party.
“On the contrary, the PDP has a long history of attacking the opposition. We recall how the campaign train of the APC was attacked in Jattu and some vehicles were vandalised and some APC supporters injured and this was done under the direct supervision of the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
“We also note how some thugs were deployed by the PDP to vandalise the campaign billboards and banners of the APC candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki in several parts of the state.
“The APC will only engage the PDP and its candidate on the basis of ideas and present our scorecard to the electorate on what we have done in almost 8 years and what they did not do in 10 years.
“The PDP has devised this devious plot only because they have seen the handwriting on the wall that their journey is heading for imminent doom.
“We wish to alert the security agencies of this latest plot by the PDP and ask that this is nipped in the bud as the PDP plans to use this as an excuse to attack APC supporters across the state.
“We urge APC supporters across the state to remain vigilant but non-violent and hand over anybody caught in this latest plot to the security agencies for prosecution.”
No comments:
Post a Comment