The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election says it will scuttle alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use security agencies to rig the forthcoming polls.
According to a Monday statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications in Rivers State, Paulinus Nsirim, the Chairman of the Council and Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike stated this while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt.
Wike said the APC is confident about winning because it wants to rig.
He stated that the PDP has gathered enough intelligence report about the unholy plan and would scuttle it at the appropriate time.
The chairman noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki cannot be described as an ingrate because he has proven to be a man of character.
“Governor Godwin Obaseki is not an ingrate like Adams Oshiomhole and Osagie Ize-Iyamu who can do anything including betraying people to grab power.
“Obaseki is morally qualified and stands out as the best candidate for the September 19th 2020 election.
“Edo people cannot support and desire the handover of power to the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is a nomadic politician and ingrate who lacks character.
“It is Oshiomhole who is an ingrate because he told us that Obaseki served as the brain box of his administration that lasted eight years. How can such a person become an ingrate?
“Look at Ize-Iyamu, he is an ingrate too. He served as Secretary to the State Government in Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. When he didn’t get what he wanted, he dumped the Party and moved to another Party.
“In 2015, people supported him for governorship, when he failed, he did not consult them but abandoned them for another Party.
“That is the life of a nomadic politician. Like his master, they are dangerously desperate, insatiable and can do anything for power.
“Character and integrity must be the yardstick to elect any candidate in the Edo election. Edo people must resist the third term agenda of Oshiomhole.
“For Oshiomhole, the election is a face saving, do or die venture having been treated badly in Abuja,” he stated.
Wike stated that Governor Obaseki is not a violent man like Ize-Iyamu who has instructed the thugs he called “lions and tigers” to cause crisis.
He challenged the Police and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Edo election to correct previous mistakes by conducting free and fair polls.
“We consider the comment by INEC to cancel or suspend the election because of violence as succumbing to the antics of the APC.
“All they want is violence because they cannot win the election. If the election is suspended, the implication is that Obaseki will serve out his tenure without election in November.
“I am surprised that APC will support a man it charged to court for corruption. Such stance shows that their corruption fight is a farce and a witch hunt of political opponents.
“Why will APC say that PDP has no justification to demand that Osagie Ize-Iyamu should go and face his charges before the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC). This is a Party that told Nigerians in 2015 of its resolve to fight corruption.
“It is also APC that took him to court. Oshiomhole was the one who told us that Edo people cannot vote for a man who is corrupt. Now they are saying he is their candidate because he has not been found guilty.
“We are tired of this double standard. They apply the rule differently to different people,” he said.
Wike urged Nigerians to ask the APC governorship candidate for Edo election why he refused to attend the Nigeria Law School after he claimed to have graduated from the University of Benin.