APC planning to set Edo INEC office ablaze, PDP alleges

…Urges Police, SSS to be at alert

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State is planning to burn down the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) office in Edo State with a view to preventing the electoral umpire from providing credible evidence at the Tribunal.

The Edo State governorship election, held recently, was won by the APC candidate, while the PDP is contesting the victory at the tribunal.

The PDP made the allegation in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of its National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye in Abuja.

The party has, consequently, called on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the State Security Service (SSS) to immediately arrest this ugly situation by providing adequate security to forestall breakdown of law and order.

The PDP expressed the firm belief that this show of anxiety and aggression of the APC will continue if nothing is done urgently in the interest of general good.

The PDP said that as a peace loving party, it stands on the side of justice and equity; and abhors any form of violence, adding however that it will not succumb to intimidation.

The PDP statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to an incident that occurred on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, wherein representatives of our great Party, the PDP and that of the APC of Edo State chapters were at the Edo State INEC Office in Benin City; in continuation of the inspection and verification of materials used during the 2016 Governorship Election in compliance with the Order of the Election Petition Tribunal.

“In view of the above, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reliably informed that during the exercise on that day, new exposures of misdeeds emerged against the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State during the Election.

“These revelations were critical that made the APC representatives outrageous accusing the INEC staffers of conspiracy.

“The situation degenerated into intense quarrel making the APC members threaten persons and property of INEC; and the weightiest was the open threat to burn the INEC Office in order to prevent the Electoral umpire from providing credible evidence at the Tribunal.

“The APC representatives demonstrated readiness to carry out their threat by assaulting the INEC personnel in the presence of some of our members and other people who saved the situation.

“It is hopeless for members of a political party that claim to have won the gubernatorial election resorting to an unruly aggression in such an exercise.

“However, we are not surprised at their public misdemeanour given the overwhelming evidence available to us showing that the Election was mindlessly rigged for the APC but justice will be done in favour of our Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

“We therefore call on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the State Security Service (SSS) to immediately arrest this ugly situation by providing adequate security during this exercise to forestall breakdown of law and order.

“We believe that this show of anxiety and aggression of the APC will continue if nothing is done urgently in the interest of general good.

“Finally as a peace loving Party, we stand on the side of justice and equity; and abhors any form of violence but will not succumb to intimidation. We have hope in the Judiciary and holds it in high esteem to do justice to all people in this matter”, the PDP said in the statement.