FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Few days to the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, All Progressives Congress, APC, Campaign Council and the state government have again accused each other of plans to rig the election.
The APC Governorship Campaign Council accused the state government of planning to use the State Security Network, otherwise known as ESSN to rig the election, while the state government, on the other hand, alleged that the former is relying on “federal might” to win the gubernatorial poll.
A statement by Prince Kassim Afegbua, the Director of Media, Edo APC Campaign Council, titled, “Governor Obaseki plotting to rig Edo election”, alleged that the state government has started producing police and military uniforms for members of the state security network to wear on election day.
He said the uniforms are to enable members of the security network disguise themselves as real police officers and military personnel to assist government to carry out electoral fraud.
He alleged, “We, of Edo State APC Campaign Council, are hereby alerting the public, Edo electorate, and others concerned, of the clandestine and surreptitious moves by the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election using his illegal Edo Security Network as a gambit.
“We have been inundated with calls from well-meaning Edo electorate of his game plan to use threat, intimidation and harassment to disenfranchise the electorate from exercising their right at the elections.
“We had decried before, the state government’s arms procurement. It has been recruiting even more hands into their illegal Edo Security Network, with the sole motive of empowering them for the underhand assignment of rigging the election by intimidation.
“We are aware that the state government has started producing police and military uniforms which members of Edo Security Network will be made to wear on the said day of the election, to disguise as real police officers and military personnel; to assist them in carrying out their pernicious assignment.”
Reacting to the allegations, the state government described it as falsehood and laughable.
Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Projects, who reacted on behalf of the state government, alleged that the APC is afraid of defeat, hence the allegations.
Osagie in his statement, titled, “Edo 2024: APC afraid of defeat, cooked up lies to veil their plan to rig the gubernatorial polls”, alleged that the allegations were another failed attempt by the opposition party to mislead the electorate.
According to him, pray tell, who has been boasting of federal might since the beginning of the campaigns, harassing and intimidating innocent citizens and members of the opposition?
“It is rather laughable and interesting that the very thing the APC is already doing is what they are claiming that other persons are doing.
“Does anyone need answers to why the APC in Edo State has been relentless in their campaign of calumny against the State’s Security and Vigilante Network in the run-up to the gubernatorial election and why they want to by all means discredit and disable the intelligence gathering scheme, which security agencies have confirmed their role in combating crime and criminality, especially in the grassroots?
“This tactic of accusing others of their own devious plot is a strategy that the APC is well known for, and the people of Edo State are too wise to be fooled by vain subterfuge.
“We call on the police, military and other security agencies to please have all hands on deck to ensure a level playing field, guaranteeing a free, fair and credible election in Edo State”, he added.
He, however, urged all Edo citizens to remain calm and come out en-masse on September 21 to vote without fear of intimidation, harassment or violence.
