Edo 2020: APC, PDP at war over allegation to doctor INEC’s adhoc list

TRACKING_____ BARELY two weeks to Edo state governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Godwin Obaseki of attempting to smuggle the names of agents of some political parties to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as those of the PDP.

A statement by the Chairman, Edo State APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki alleged that the list was doctored by the Government House for some parties who he alleged have been acting stooges of the governor and the PDP.

Mayaki identified the parties as Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) and Labour Party (LP).

But the state chairman of APM, Charles Ugiagbe denied the allegation saying “I don’t know what you are talking about, I am not aware of that for now. We have submitted the list of our agents to INEC.”

On his part, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare who aso denied the allegation said “It is one of their baseless allegation,s as usual, we are talking about them bribing a national INEC commissioner to fill the name of agents with APC names, they are now talking of PDP doing same, it is a baseless allegation.

“Whenever we accuse the APC, they come up with all sorts of stories. You are aware a few days ago, we actually complained that a national INEC officer who is from Etsako West has turned himself to be the one that will appoint EOs and polling officers with APC so there is no truth in this allegation. It is APC that is trying to stain INEC like Oshiomhole has destroyed the APC”

Mayaki said, “Whatever Obaseki hopes to achieve with his concert of losers is not clear,” and called on INEC to be alert to any election rigging mischief.

“Just two weeks to go, you could see the confusion in the Obaseki camp. It is getting clear to them they will be thrashed on Election Day. So, it’s electoral mischief galore, even of a most hare-brained kind — or how,” the Edo APC queried, “do you explain trying to smuggle in agents’ names when the exercise has closed?”

He alleged that there was confusion in the Obaseki camp because he and the PDP lacked grassroots support.

According to Mayaki, “Each passing day, you would hear them groan and cry, and do things real crazy. But so would you, if you knew you were set for a total and comprehensive electoral hiding. That is the fate of Edo PDP,” the APC campaign spokesman declared, adding that “ill-luck is not transferable”