*PDP Is Crying Wolf, Says APC
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress, (APC) is bent on fomenting troubles in the state with the purpose of compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the September 19 governorship election in the state.
The party also accused the APC of printing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to rig the election.
But, APC in its response described the PDP’s allegation as a ploy by the ruling party in the state to distract and deceive Edo people and Nigerians from its plot to rig the election, adding that PDP was crying wolf where none existed.
Chris Osa Nehikhare, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, made the allegation while briefing journalists on the recent shooting that took place during the PDP rally at Apana in Edo North.
“We wrote letters not only to INEC, but to the DSS, the police and other security agencies to give them our itinerary for this campaign and Owan West was one of those which we gave the date but to our surprised, APC chose the same day for Estako West to visit the same area, but our intelligence told us that they were doing this deliberately to have a clash because from the beginning, all they are being interested in is the area of trying to have the election postponed, trying to cause troubles, foment troubles, so that the election will not hold on September 19 because they are aware that as it is today, they will be defeated roundly and very decisively. So, it is in their interest that they postpone the election,” he said.
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He alleged that they had notified security agencies that the APC was printing PVCs, but that they decided to turn a blind eye to the report.
While boasting of the developmental strides of Governor Obaseki in the past three and a half years, Nehikhare said Obaseki had not borrowed a kobo in carrying out all the projects executed in the state, rather than paying up the loans already borrowed by the past administration.
He thanked the traditional rulers and people of Edo North for their warm reception during their campaigns, just as he tasked them to come out en masse on September 19 to cast their votes for Obaseki to ensure that he would emerge winner.
But, Chris Azebamwen, the APC’s Publicity Secretary in the state, in response, described the allegations as baseless and unfounded, even as he urged Edo people to ignore what he termed a misinformation by the state’s ruling party.
“PDP leaders want the election to be postponed, because the party is not on ground in Edo State. They know that APC’s governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is very popular, with huge followership across the 18 LGAs of the state and he will win the September 19, 2020 election,” he said.
