The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to use foreign “election mercenaries” in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also alleged that Governors Ganduje of Kano, Hope Uzodinma of Imo and Yahaya Bello of Kogi were mandated by the APC to “derail” the Edo election.
“Part of APC’s plot is to import election mercenaries as observers to attempt to scare the people of Edo State, suppress them and steal their mandate.
“The PDP and indeed the people of Edo State are already aware that the trio were selected by the APC to lead its campaign so as to force a combined formula of Kano and Kogi electoral violence as well as Imo State mandate robbery to subvert the will of the people of Edo state in the governorship election.
“It is however not surprising that such is the drift of the APC campaign, given that it has neither messages nor plans for the people of Edo state.
“Whereas our candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, enjoys the overwhelming support of the Edo people due to his enthusing track record of personal character and performance in office for which even APC leaders have praises for him, the APC candidate has nothing to present to the people,” the party said.
We won’t ‘roll in mud’ with you in Edo
Reacting, APC said it has no interest to ‘roll in the mud’ with the PDP and engage them in tirade.
The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said this yesterday while reacting to the PDP’s allegation that the ruling party was planning to use foreign “election mercenaries” to rig the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
Nabena, who said every valid vote must count on September 19, stated that the APC is a party that “fiercely advocates, practices and defends the principle of one person, one vote”.
He said the PDP had been intimidated by the quality, depth and political sagacity of the APC National Campaign Council deployed by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee to organise a formidable campaign structure to ensure success of the APC and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu during the election.
He urged the PDP to concentrate on their deadbeat and empty campaign instead of the comic it had turned itself to, stressing that “Edo is proudly an APC state.”
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the PDP yesterday appointed Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to head the Edo State governorship election campaign council. Adamawa State Governor, Umar Fintiri, was appointed the deputy campaign chairman. Wike recently criticized the NWC over its handling of some issues.
