By Dayo Omoogun
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to desist from it’s alleged “agelong undemocratic habits
of election rigging, vote-buying, violence, abuse of state institutions for political ends and address themselves to new realities that under the President Buhari-led APC administration, power now belongs to the people and during elections, votes count.”
The call was contained in a statement issued on behalf of the party by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena.
“The party said, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections is a solid pointer that under the current administration, the days of stolen and procured electoral mandates are fast fading.”
“Critical state institutions such as the Judiciary, INEC, security services have been the ultimate beneficiaries of the President’s impartiality and non-interference. We must all support the independence of our state institutions to deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system.
“Ahead of the Edo State Governorship election, the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki continually spins puerile conspiracies on the role of ‘federal might’, while using his so-called “Obaseki Boys” and state apparatus under his control to harass the State House of Assembly and APC members in the state. On his part, Governor Nyesom Wike as head of the PDP campaign council threatens violence.
”While we understand the panic and distress in the camp of the PDP and Governor Obaseki following the massive and widespread support given by the Edo electorate to the APC Governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC invites the PDP to join us in issue-based campaigns and at least attempt to sell to the Edo electorate the merit of their candidate, if any.
“The APC’s people-focused development records across the country form the basis of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s six-point ‘SIMPLE agenda’ for the good people of Edo State which stands for Security, Infrastructural development, Manpower development, Public-Private Partnership, Leadership and Employment creation.