The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Presidency of orchestrating a plot to rig the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, scheduled for September 21, in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a statement from Anthony Aziegbemi, the PDP’s Chairman in Edo State, the Presidency has allegedly allocated $2 million to compromise Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, security forces, and to facilitate vote-buying.
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The PDP also claimed that the funds were given to the APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Further allegations from the PDP include claims that the Presidency has directed the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services to disrupt the election in strongholds of the PDP to skew the results in favor of the APC.
The party reported that security deployments would be heavy in areas loyal to PDP, particularly around the governor’s strongholds, to destabilize the voting process.
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The PDP’s statement outlined concerns that some electoral officials are believed to be APC members and are allegedly tasked with delaying results to incite violence and create a chaotic environment to benefit the APC candidate.
Despite these allegations, the PDP expressed confidence in winning the election through a fair and peaceful process.
The party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, is projected to secure at least 70 percent of the vote, according to the PDP.
The PDP has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the election is conducted transparently and without interference.
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The party urged the President to prioritize the safety and peace of Edo State and refrain from actions that could jeopardize the electoral process.
In response, APC’s National Deputy Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, dismissed the PDP’s claims as baseless, suggesting they stem from past practices during the PDP’s previous administration.
Duru challenged the PDP to provide concrete evidence for their allegations and criticized them for allegedly projecting their past misdeeds onto others.
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Duru remarked, “The PDP’s history of election rigging is well-documented, and it’s concerning if their current accusations are influenced by their own past behavior. They need to prove their claims with evidence if they have any.”
