The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday in Abuja said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has carefully selected Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Hope Uzodinma to procure the September, 19, governorship election in Edo State.
The trio were handed mandates to deliver using the November 16th Kogi governorship treatment.
Kogi State governorship election was witnessed with high scale violence by thugs with attendant killings and bloodletting.
In a statement issued by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, and obtained by CAPITAL POST, PDP said the party and people of Edo state are already aware that the trio were selected by the APC to lead its campaign with thenforce of thugs to subvert the will of the people.
“It is disgusting that a governor who deployed a Police helicopter to scare voters on election day has been mandated to deploy thugs and dangerous weapons through Kogi borderlines with Edo State ahead of the election.
PDP lashed at the ruling APC for using a man it described as “a butt of international shame after being seen in a viral video stuffing his robe with gratification, in foreign currency, to serve as Chairman of its Edo state governorship campaign council.”
“It is equally contemptuous that such a person is being deputized by another individual, who has become a metaphor of electoral manipulation, after being so docketed by a judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Part of APC’s plot is to import election mercenaries as observers to attempt to scare the people of Edo state, suppress them and steal their mandate.
It is however not surprising that such is the drift of the APC campaign, given that it has neither messages nor plans for the people of Edo state, especially, with a candidate like Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who has also been declared by his former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, as a person of questionable character, a fake pastor, treasury looter, rusticated student who is only fit for ‘night meetings’ and should never be entrusted with the office of the governor of Edo state.
“Whereas our candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, enjoys the overwhelming support of the Edo people due to his enthusing track record of personal character and performance in office for which even APC leaders have praises for him, the APC candidate has nothing to present to the people.
“With its defective nomination process, an ailing campaign council and a dented governorship candidate, it is clear that the APC is not preparing for issue-based and people oriented campaign, but for process manipulation and ballot robbery.
“Our party, in the strongest terms, cautions the APC to note that the “Gandollar,” “Supreme Court Governor” and “helicopter shooting” formulas cannot work in this election as the people of Edo state have never been intimidated, suppressed, subjugated or overpowered by external political influences,” the statement read.
PDP warned that the people of Edo state will spare nothing within the law in firmly resisting any attempt by anybody to import violence or try to manipulate the Edo election in any way.
“With the people of Edo state on the side of Governor Obaseki and the PDP, the coast is already clear and any attempt by anybody to subvert the will of the people will surely be met very stiff resistance.”
