The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) concocted lies in its claim that PDP was putting pressure on INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to rig the Edo gubernatorial election for Governor Godwin Obaseki.
PDP stated this in a Thursday statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
Urging APC to desist from fabrications, the main opposition party said the claim was aimed at arm-twisting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the election for its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The PDP said that in “sponsoring fake reports that PDP leaders were putting pressure on INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, on the Edo election, the APC has further exposed its hopelessness over their rejection by the Edo people and now seeks to blackmail the Commission.
“Whereas we understand APC’s despondency over the soaring popularity of our party and candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the APC is worsening its woes by sponsoring fabrications against the expressed will of the people of Edo state to re-elect Governor Obaseki in the September election.
“The APC, by now, should know that attempting to rig, by any way whatsoever, will surely be met with stiff resistance and dire consequences from the people.
“Our party counsels the APC to blame nobody but themselves for having a discredited nomination process and being stuck with a blighted candidate, who has now become a symbol of a direct affront by corrupt political godfathers and cabal to the will, ability and liberty of the people of Edo state to chose their own leader.
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“The APC should blame themselves for presenting a candidate who was exposed by their party’s former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, as a person of questionable character, a treasury looter, acid bather, rusticated student; a politician, who is only good for “night meetings” and unfit to hold office as governor of Edo state.”
PDP called on APC to hold Oshiomhole responsible for indicting its candidate as a “fake pastor” that started carrying the Holy Bible because he could not practice as a barrister.
“It is indeed disgraceful that 73 days to the election, all the APC has to offer is blackmail against our leaders, after its plans to derail the election has been exposed.
“It is common knowledge among Nigerians that characters, such as ‘gandollar’, the killers in the Kogi election as well as manipulators in the Imo election, being paraded by the APC as the face of their campaign in Edo state, were foisted into office through rigging, bloodletting and manipulation of election results.
“Nigerians already know how the “Gandollar” election was driven by mercenaries from neighboring countries who disrupted electoral processes and inflicted injuries and pain on our compatriots.
“Nigerians can also recall how, in the Kogi election last year, gunmen and police helicopter were used to chase away voters, while an innocent woman, Salome Abuh, was killed by APC thugs in celebration of their bloodstained electoral conquest in the worst election in our political history as a nation.
“The public has not also forgotten how an individual, who came a distant fourth in the Imo state governorship election, suddenly became the winner.
“The PDP notes that it is only a discredited and rejected party like the APC that will enlist the services of known election manipulators, who have now started their assignment by sponsoring fake reports, to run its campaign.
“Our party cautions the APC to desist from their plots to rig the Edo election as the people of Edo will firmly resist them. The APC should rather blame themselves for their woes and get ready to accept their inevitable crushing defeat at the poll.
“Furthermore, the PDP counsels INEC to note the dangerous plots of the APC and insulate itself from their shenanigans as the tide in this election is already clear for all to see,” the statement read in part.