Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has perfected plans to rig the forthcoming general elections on March 28 and April 11.
According to him, some PDP chieftains have allegedly made overtures to senior military officers to assist them in ensuring that PDP thugs were not stopped from carrying out their rigging plot.
“Politicians are already making contact with senior military officers under the 4 Brigade, asking them to assist their thugs in buying rubbers (arm bands) of various colours to distinguish PDP thugs from All Progressives Congress, APC, officials to have special stickers that would be used in identifying their people,” he said.
However, the PDP in the state, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, denied the allegation and accused Edo State Government of raising political tension in the state with its “unguarded, careless and reckless statements unbecoming of a government and a governor.”
The state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, on his part, said: “If there is any person that has anything close to a uniform, it is the governor who is used to wearing khaki. I want to say that the statements of the governor are the last desperate expression of a drowning political actor.
“Having realised that Edo teachers have now rejected him, Edo judicial workers have rejected him, local government workers are rejecting him; the teachers and market women have rejected him; victims of his demolition exercise are rejecting him at the next election and victims of those whose landed property he wants to forcefully acquire, are also crying out louder rejecting him. Even the tax payers who have been made to pay multiple taxes have come to a conclusion that this election, they will use their voting power to say no to APC and Adams Oshiomhole.
“Governor Oshiomhole has quickly invented a story line to explain his inevitable defeat at the polls by accusing and giving reasons for his impending defeat, that PDP wants to use the army to rig the election. He should retract the statement. The statement is irresponsible and untrue.”
Oshiomhole, however, appealed to the military to resist being used to subvert the will of the people. “I plead with you in the name of God, let your officers resist the overture of politicians. I know that in this state and in this country, we have had good elections. They probably weren’t perfect, but many believed that they were a substantial improvement on previous ones.”