EDO 2024: Ripples as Obaseki raises alarm, alleges plot by INEC to postpone poll

..Says Oshiomhole, APC campaigning with police helicopter

…Commission not aware of such plans –INEC

BY TITUS AKHIGBE, BENIN & BABATUNDE OPALANA

The Edo State Governor and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is working in connivance with the All Progressive Congress (APC) to postpone the September 21, 2024 governorship poll on the eve of the election.

The governor who disclosed this while addressing members and leaders of the State’s chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the game plan was to destabilise the PDP and make way for the devious rigging plot of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obaseki also noted that the country’s democracy was at risk and urged for vigilance to avert plans by INEC to subvert the will of Edo people leveraging ‘federal might.’

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However, INEC has denied such plans. Reacting to Saturday Times, the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Mary Nkem, said there were no plans to postpone the election as alleged by the governor. “At the moment, the Chairman of the Commiison is still in Benin, working to make sure everything is smooth. I don’t know where the governor got his information”, she said.

Meanwhile Obaseki has expressed confidence that the party will come out victorious despite the intimidation and harassment of its members and chieftains, the governor said, “We will win the next governorship election in Edo State but need to be vigilant as our democracy is at risk. Some people want to destroy democracy in Nigeria.”

He continued: “We refused to sign the peace agreement yesterday because we don’t know if what we have presently is the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) or the All Police Congress (APC). This is the new meaning of APC. Why will they be intimidating people? Aligning with APC to intimidate, scare and oppress citizens of Edo State.

“I arrived from Lagos this morning and saw a police helicopter in Benin City to carry Comr. Adams Oshiomole. He has been using a police helicopter to campaign, and it’s not fair. We all own Nigeria but how can the police be so partisan in this election? We can’t sit down for them to come and kill all of us.

“They have told us that whether we like it or not, they will use federal might and write the results. We don’t have any federal might but have the might of God and the might of the workers of Edo State. I know that the workers in the State will not keep quiet. They have to kill all of us first before they hijack Edo State.”

He added, “On that day, make sure everybody comes out as we are much more than them; don’t be scared. They are boasting in Abuja and have all sorts of plans but we are ready.”

On ploys to postpone the guber polls, the governor revealed, “They plan to postpone the election on the eve of the election to destabilize us. But whenever they postpone the election to, we will win the election. It will be a long fight but we know it’s a struggle.”

He further charged: “I call on all the unions to stand firm to vote and defend their votes. If they refuse to allow us to vote, refuse to count our votes and refuse democracy in Edo, I have told them that it will be the beginning of a crisis in Nigeria. I am saying this with all sense of responsibility.

“All we asked as Edo people is for the appropriate authority in charge of the election to allow the votes of citizens to count. We are pleading and calling on the international community to take note of what is going on and taking place in Edo State.”

Obaseki added, “APC has not offered us an alternative. They have not campaigned on any meaningful thing we can hold them onto. They don’t have any credible candidate but all they boast of is federal might. They say they will write the results and we can go to court. We will not go to court because they can’t write the results. If they write the results, they will meet the consequences.”