Oshiomhole alleges plot by PDP to rig Edo guber poll

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has raised an alarm over alleged plans by the opposition party to manipulate July 14 governorship election in the state through the use of federal employees to conduct the election.

But the state PDP, however, dismissed the governor’s claim, describing it as spurious alarm.

This came as the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from making further use of Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballot Boxes, ECTBB.

The governor who spoke at an interactive session with members of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA,  in the state at the Police Officers’ Mess, Benin City, argued that the pronouncement of the Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to stop the use of Youth Corps members for the election would  only cause confusion in the state.

Oshiomhole who said the PDP at a meeting in Abuja protested the use of Youth Corps members for the conduct of the election because they were anticipating violence, said it was a reflection of what they have in mind.

He said: “They protested that they do not want Corps members to conduct the elections because they saw some youth corps members at the venue of our campaigns even when it was obvious that the rallies were held in schools and students were in session. They claimed the decision was due to the violence in the state. Where is the violence in the state?  They can bring the youth corps members from anywhere, from Sokoto, from Maiduguri, but we do not want federal employees. This election must be won or lost at the polling booth.”

Oshiomhole urged the NBA to prevail on the NYSC Director General not to allow anybody to manipulate them and if they allow federal civil servants to be used to conduct the election, they would  bring people that would manipulate the election.

Account of his stewardship

The governor who gave an account of his stewardship said he was propelled into politics because of the poor state of affairs in the state which had so much promise and to demonstrate that the state was viable and that led to the administration doing some things differently.

He said: “We have focussed on areas completely abandoned by previous administrations and succeeded in delivering the greatest good to the greatest number of people around Benin City and across the state. We have made a bold statement on roads, connecting the rural communities with semi urban areas.”

Edo PDP replies

However, reacting, the Edo PDP said the governor was paranoid about the July 14 elections, hence  he had been raising “spurious alarm” over phantom plans by the opposition to manipulate the outcome of the election.

Speaking through the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Uroghide, PDP said: “Edo people and, indeed, Nigerians are tired of Governor Oshiomhole’s paranoia and wish to tell him that if he is not ready for the elections, he should honourably withdraw.

“Again, this is one of those wild and misconceived accusations of Governor Oshiomhole and we are not surprised as it falls within the precinct of his usual blurred vision about the preparations by all the stakeholders and the bodies superintending the conduct of the forthcoming elections in Edo State.