The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the demand for a free, fair and credible election in Edo state governorship election by the governors forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as dubious and smokescreen.
A recent communique issued by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum enjoined the President, INEC and security agencies to “play an impartial role” in forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
But reacting to the communique Sunday in Abuja through a statement signed by the deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, the APC said come September 19, votes will count and the will of the Edo electorate will prevail.
APC said: “For a party whose stock-in-trade remains cloning of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), stealing card readers, voter intimidation, thuggery and vote buying as witnessed during the 2019 General Elections, the PDP’s call is dubious and a smokescreen for their real and sinister intentions.
“The real issue is how the Edo state treasury has been criminally converted to a political slush fund as exposed by the widely reported faceoff between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shuaibu over release of funds for the PDP governorship campaign.
“Again, as chairman of the Edo state PDP governorship Campaign Council, the violence being threatened by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike ahead of the September 19 Edo governorship election are the real issues. Wike has promised to “make sure that everything needed is done” to foist the PDP governorship candidate on the good people of Edo State.
“There are already credible reports of Wike’s plan to import thugs from neighbouring states to achieve their rigging plot. We reiterate that he will not succeed. We stand with the good people of Edo state in calling on our security services not to allow the PDP and Wike turn Edo state into a killing field.
“Our security services must do everything to stop the PDP’s plan to unleash violence, intimidate voters and buy votes during the election.”
