By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over All Progressives Congress (APC) desperation to emerge victorious at the Edo State Gubernatorial Election billed for Wednesday, through alleged perfected multiple rigging plans.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party warned that it will resist every attempts being made by the APC.
“Yesterday evening, we received reports from reliable sources of the movement of hundreds of thugs in about 20 BRT buses into Benin City. These thugs have apparently been brought from other states to disrupt the election in the State. Alarmingly, these reports indicate that the thugs were given cover by mobile policemen.
“Ahead of the Edo State Gubernatorial Election slated to hold on September 28, 2016 – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) distributed some non-sensitive electoral materials such as electoral observer and monitor tags yesterday the 25th of September, 2016,” PDP alleged.
It further explained that it believes that the distribution of the materials started too early and posed a threat to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the State.
“These materials are traditionally distributed the day before elections to prevent them from being cloned or copied by people keen to disrupt the electoral process. We are aware that some of these non-sensitive electoral materials are being presently cloned in the APC Situation Room in Benin City, with the aim of distributing same to thugs who will have right of free movement on Election Day and possibly disrupt elections in PDP’s strongholds,” it stated.
The PDP pointed out that in addition, they are worried by the attempts to compromise the security apparatus of the state as evidenced by the replacement of the Commissioner of Police in Edo State an unprecedented three times in the last three weeks.
“The State Police Command is currently without a Commissioner less than 72 hours to the Election,” it added.
.”We will strongly resist all efforts to rig this Election. Our party will not stand meekly while we are deprived of a certain electoral victory.
“We urge our teeming members and supporters in the State to come out en masse on Election Day to vote for our Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. We urge them to implement the simple plan – come out early, vote and remain till votes have been counted and the results declared.
“We are aware that the security agencies in conjunction with the APC are planning the arrest and detention of PDP leaders so as to frustrate the chances of our Party at the polls and also shut down the PDP Situation Room in Benin City. We wish to draw the attention of the international community to this sinister plot. May God bless Edo State. May God bless Nigeria,” the PDP submitted.
