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* Allege manipulation of on going voters registration
* Demands immediate deployment of INEC Head of ICT in Edo
By Kingsley Abavo in Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm alleging the connivance of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the September Governorship election in Edo State. The Party said the duo has begun manipulation of the continuous voters registration exercise (CVR) which begins Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 in the State towards actualising the set design.
The APC addressed the media weekend in Benin-City and called for the immediate deployment of INEC Head of ICT in Edo State.
Speaking through its State Publicity Secretary Prince Peter Uwadiae Igbinegie Esq. the Party said it decided to inform well-meaning Nigerians about what it terms; “the ignoble plans by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State to circumvent and rig the 2024 Governorship Election using the Continuous Voters Registration, (CVR) exercise as a formidable platform.
“We have it on good authority and from multiple sources that some gullible officials of INEC in most of the 18 local government areas that make up our State, have approached the outgoing Edo State government to provide them with ‘logistics’ for the CVR.
“In anticipation, these unpatriotic INEC officials have promised to allow the PDP unfettered access to INEC data capturing machines.
“The APC is also aware that the INEC officials have hidden under the guise of no adequate personnel for the exercise, to make frivolous complaints to the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki aimed at undermining the core mandate of the institution.
“Cashing in, the Governor has agreed with INEC to deploy the services of Edo teachers and civil servants in addition to members of the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC), as Ad Hoc staff. He has promised to bankroll their stipends after the CVR exercise.
“The APC is left in consternation that this compromising offer can be made to INEC in spite of the 2024 Federal budget which has adequately provided for INEC with regards to the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.
“Governor Obaseki’s irritating compromise of INEC are all part of his unholy plan to have his kangaroo local government chairmen do whatever they so desire to do with the CVR in their localities.
“This is what informed his viral video where he was shown begging PDP supporters to bring their young children for registration as Voters.
“It is also within the knowledge of our party that the Governor intends to collect the Cards from these under aged voters and give them to others he plans to hire from Delta State; to invade some units in our State and foment trouble on the day of election.
” The APC therefore warns that it is more than vigilant and ready to checkmate every move of the PDP. As it promised a new Edo which it said the people truly deserve with Senator Monday Okpebholo as governor and Rt Hon Dennis Idahosa as deputy.
“We are committed and we will prevail!”
Continuing, the APC demands immediate deployment of the INEC Head of ICT in Edo State; who it alleged is working closely with a female staff member of the Commission in Bayelsa State; the wife of a PDP chieftain in the State. The Party also demands; “strict compliance with the INEC designated venues for the CVR exercise which is the Ward Headquarters.
“Complete restriction of transfer of voters from neighbouring States during the CVR exercise.” The Party adds; it “rejects the use of Governor Obaseki’s uniformed thugs such as PUWOV, EDSTMA, State Security Network during the election as security operatives across the State.
“The Nigeria Police, the Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitaries are better options for this critical exercise,” it suggested.
Reacting; the Director-General of PDP Campaign Council, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwem said, “Last time the APC claimed that I have resigned my position as Director-General of PDP Campaign Council, and again, they carried false information about the dissolution of Edo PDP Campaign Council, and today they are up again by alleging that my party is conniving with INEC to manipulate the ongoing voters’ registration exercise in the State. “Let them continue to make noise while we are working on how to deliver our candidate and his deputy, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and Barr. Osarodion Ogie in the forthcoming Edo governorship election.
“We are not INEC, we have no control over INEC. How can APC allege that my party PDP is manipulating INEC to do our bidding in the ongoing voters registration exercise? Nothing like that. They should go out and market their candidate to Edo electorates instead of making false allegations against PDP.”
Also, INEC’s Head of Voters’ Education, Edo office, Timidi Wariowei, said the idea of a press briefing to cast aspersion or unwarranted allegations against the commission is not the best.
“We did a stakeholders meeting on May 16. The political parties including PDP and APC were there. The idea behind the meeting is for INEC to tell the parties and the public what we want to do including modalities involved. In that meeting, if there was any issue to bring up including the allegation the APC is bringing up now, It would have been treated. Apart from that the stakeholders meeting was also held at the local government level because of the CVR. All the parties were there and nobody raised any issue. Now a party will call a press conference saying things. Our doors are open. It is not good to antagonize the commission when we have not done anything wrong. It is not fair and the action they have taken is old fashioned. This is not the way to go. If anyone has anything to say, he should come to the Resident Electoral Commissioner. It is wrong to dish out those allegations as we do not have anything to do with them.
Enehikhare’s response
The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation Chris Enehikhare stated; The press conference the APC held to me is a gathering of confused people who have nothing to offer. They are aware that they have the worst candidate who they are finding difficult to market. The allegation they made against INEC is like that of a man who is not prepared to write an exam that has been fixed for a certain date. We are embarrassed that this is the quality of opposition the APC is offering in the State. We want to say as a government we are interested in our people coming out to register during the CVR exercise. That is what the government does. Also, political parties encourage the people to come out to register because it is the vote of the people that decides who govern them. When INEC graciously decided to resume registration of voters, we were excited and as a government encouraged our people to come out because we believe that it is when more people register, then the government can be held accountable. We believe that the Edo people are satisfied with what we are doing as a government but they will all come out and vote for us. But APC as a party is disgruntled. Firstly, they have nominated a candidate that cannot express himself and they cannot sell to Edo People. They are worried about that and instead of admitting to their failure they are busy making allegations to an unbiased umpire, which is INEC. We are not saying that INEC is totally unbiased but they have a duty to register voters and we will give them whatever support they need. As a government, we are excited that the opposition knows that every Edo worker and teacher and everyone will work for the government. We are happy that all the people in the phantom list of ad-hoc staff are all pleased with the Edo State government. During elections, we have what the INEC call the ad-hoc staff, from what pool are they employed? They are not prepared, ignorant and want to rabble rouse. In some cases, they may be trying to impress their pay master wherever he is and justify the money they have been siphoning from the system. The Edo State Government has nothing to do with the manipulation of the CVR. What we believe in is getting Edo People to come out and register. When they register we know they will vote for us because they have seen what we have done. That is why they are afraid because their government has brought so much hardship to Nigerians with an increase in the price of goods and services. The election is here and they are afraid that Edo People will reject them.
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