Ahead of September 19 governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned All Progressives Congress (APC) against an alleged plot to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.
The leading opposition party said the warning had become imperative after reports indicating that APC had allegedly concluded plans to blackmail the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into manipulating election in its favor.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said part of APC plot was resort to sponsoring false reports in some online platforms purporting that the PDP was seeking to rig the forthcoming election.
Through a statement released to newsmen on Thursday, the PDP spokesman accused the leadership of the APC of plotting to use fabrications in a section of the media to arm-twist the INEC to manipulate the Edo election for the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
According to him, the false report has further exposed the hopelessness of APC and its candidate over their rejection by the Edo people and was now seeking to blackmail INEC.
“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 choose their own leader
“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.
“The PDP cautioned the APC to desist from plots to rig the Edo election as the people will firmly resist such attempts, adding that the APC leaders should rather blame themselves for their woes and get ready to accept their inevitable crushing defeat at the poll. The main opposition party urged INEC to note the dangerous plots by the APC leaders and insulate itself from their shenanigans as the tide in this election is already clear for all to see,” the statement read.
