*As NSA, DSS, Ganduje, Uzodimma fingered in alleged plot to rig poll
-Pix above: PDP chieftains
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has uncovered plans by the Presidency to interfere and manipulate the September 21 governorship election in the State through the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Department of State Services (DSS), in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement, the State Party Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, revealed that over $2 million has been released to the APC candidate by the NSA to buy votes and bribe security agencies during the election.
Aziegbemi said the party stands resolute to win the Saturday, September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo State in a peaceful and credible contest, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to live up to his responsibility as the President of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not just the president of the APC and let the will of the people prevail by allowing a free, fair and credible election in Edo State.
The statement reads inter alia: “It has come to our notice that directives have been given from the Presidency to the National Security Adviser (NSA) and leadership of the Department of State Services (DSS) to disrupt the September 21 governorship election in Edo State and manipulate the poll in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Our intelligence has revealed that the directive was given to the Office of the NSA, who has been asked to coordinate with the new Director General of DSS to execute this devious plan, ensuring that the APC is declared winner of the Edo gubernatorial election at all costs.
“As part of the evil ploy, security chiefs have been ordered to make heavy deployment to the strongholds of the PDP, especially those of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and our party’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, with the plan to destabilise the voting process in those areas.
“Some of the polling unit, registration area and ward electoral officials have been uncovered to be card-carrying members of the APC. Their task, we have learnt, is to delay the result of their respective units with the aim of inciting violence and creating an unfavorable atmosphere during the election to favour the APC candidate during the compilation of result.
“The same poll officials and APC card-carrying members, we have gathered, are to be deployed to APC strongholds where they will ensure that ballot papers do not get to the polling units, setting the stage to declare the results in favour of the APC.”
Aziegbemi further noted: “We also learnt that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, and INEC’s Directors of ICT at both state and federal levels have been settled by APC to support this rigging plans, with series of meetings held in this regard at the Abuja residence of Governor Hope Ozodimma of Imo State who is said to have a cordial relationship with the INEC officials as displayed during his reelection as Imo state Governor.
“Another $2m was ordered to be released to the APC candidate by the NSA which will be used to buy votes and bribe security agencies during the election.
“We also uncovered that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, is leading the charge, luring all security and election stakeholders to support the ploy to rig the Edo Governorship election in favour of APC, as part of his bid to keep his job as party’s National Chairman.
“We want to unequivocally state that the PDP stands resolute to win the Saturday, September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo State in a peaceful and credible contest. Our party and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, are poised for a decisive victory and will secure, at least 70% of the vote on election day, and no amount of rigging and intimidation can stop the will of the people of Edo State”.
Insisting on a free and fair election in the State, the Party Chairman noted, “We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to live up to his responsibility as the President of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not just the president of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and let the will of the people prevail by allowing a free, fair and credible election in Edo State.”
“The President must realise that the duty of keeping Edo State and Nigeria safe and peaceful is his primary responsibility and must therefore not allow the fear that his party will lose the forthcoming governorship poll in the State lead him to disrupt peace and security and set Edo State and Nigeria ablaze.
“We also call on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the international community, including the American Embassy, the British High Commission, the European Union and other embassies and international development organisations present in Nigeria, and other stakeholders to take note of the clandestine plan to undermine the forthcoming guber election and subvert the will of Edo people.”
The statement added, “As a party, we remain committed to a peaceful, free, fair and credible election in Edo State and call on all stakeholders to promptly intervene to prevent the State from teetering on the precipice of chaos and anarchy”///
