APC Recruiting Thugs In Kogi, Other Neighbouring States to Rig Edo Election, Says PDP

•  Insists Election Can’t Be Rigged

The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that its teeming members are ready to resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the governorship election slated for Saturday, expressing the hope that its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, would emerge victorious.

The PDP stated this on Sunday in a press release signed by the state publicity secretary, Mr. Chris Nehihkaire, while reacting to in alleged intelligence report submitted to it that some leaders of the APC were recruiting thugs from Kogi State and other neighbouring states to rig the election.

According to the PDP, ‘’We need to put the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), international community, election monitors and other security agencies on the alert — that the APC have recruited thugs from Kogi State, especially Okenne, and other neighbouring states for the Saturday election in Edo State.

“’Their aim is to unleash violence in many polling units and disrupt the election, having realised that the electorate have massively rejected their candidate. But they will fail woefully because our members will resist any move to rig and disrupt the election.

‘’We have stated repeatedly that this election cannot be rigged. We will defend our votes and mandate with the last drop of our blood. APC will fall flat in its calculation to rig this election.’’

The PDP fingered a security officer in Edo State, who is from Kogi State, and other senior aides of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, as these behind the alleged pior to recruit young non-indigenes — outside Edo State, to be used to rig the forthcoming governorship election.

The PDP said that Oshiomhole, his puppet candidate, Godwin Obaseki and some of his aides had allegedly resorted to this measure because they lack grassroots support back home, hence the purported mass recruitment that is going on now in Okene, Kogi State, and other neighbouring states.

The PDP therefore called on the leadership of the INEC and security agencies to be disconnected from the APC’s plans to rig the Saturday election.

“We call on INEC and security agencies to be mindful of the antics of desperate politicians within the APC and their planned attempt to rig the September 10 governorship election, just as we had made the clarion call for relevant authorities to note the plan by some evil people to cause violence at the election for negative objectives,” it said.