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Edo Guber: Govt, APC, INEC Trade Words Over Alleged Rigging Plot

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By Joseph Ebi Kanjo | Benin

The Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Edo State Government, Friday, May 24, 2024, pointed accusive fingers at each others over alleged plot to rig the state governorship election slated for September 21st, this year.

State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Peter Igbingie, during a press briefing in Benin had raised the alarm that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in connivance with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded plans to use the forthcoming Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, exercise to rig the governorship election.

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But responding to the allegation, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said “the APC are aware they have the worst candidate who they are finding difficult to market,” describing them as gathering of “confused people who have nothing to offer.”

The APC Publicity Secretary in the allegation further said the state government plot to rig the election,
ICT officials of the electoral umpire are the ones pencilled down to do the job for the Edo State government.

But INEC Head of Voters Education and Publicity in the state, Mr. Timidi Wareowei, denied the allegation, noting that if any party has anything against the commission, that should have been raised during a stakeholders’ meeting held on the 16th of this month where all parties were present, or better still approached the state Residential Electoral Commissioner whose doors, according to Wareowei, are always opened.

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation further responding said “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.”

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READ ALSO: Edo Guber Final List : Group Knocks LP, Commends, INEC, Yakubu

The APC image maker in the state further alleged that, working under the guise of no adequate personnel for the CVR exercise, arrangements have been allegedly concluded 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 further said: “It has become expedient that our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), raised this alarm and bring to the notice of well-meaning Nigerians, the ingnoble plans by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State to circumvent and rig the 2024 Governorship Election in the State using the forthcoming Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, Exercise as a formidable platform.

“Additionally, the APC has found out that Governor Obaseki is working closely with the head of INEC ICT unit so the PDP can manipulate the Voters Register and the BIVAs.

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“We have 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.

READ ALSO: 2027: Soyinka Drops Bombshell, Says Peter Obi Not Fit To Lead Nigeria

“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.

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“He has promised to bankroll their stipends after the CVR exercise.”

The APC State Publicity Secretary who alleged that the state government has concluded plans to register underage persons with a view to giving such cards to adults to vote during the election, advocated “strict compliance with the INEC designated venues for the CVR exercise which is the Ward Headquarters.”

Igbingie also demanded the “immediate deployment of INEC Head of ICT in Edo State who we know is working closely with a female INEC staff in Bayelsa State: She is the wife of a PDP chieftain Edo State,” and “complete restriction of transfer of voters from neighbouring states during the CVR exercise.”

But in his response, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation fired back: “We want to say as a government that 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 governs them.

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“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.

“But APC has 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.

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“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’s why they are afraid, because their government has brought so much hardship to Nigerians with increase in the price of goods and services

“The election is here and they are afraid that Edo People will reject them.”

INEC head of publicity further noted: “All the parties were there and nobody raised any issues. Now, a party will now call a press conference and 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 that they have taken this old fashioned. This is not the way to go. If anyone has anything to say, he should come to the Resident Electoral Commission. It is wrong to dish out those allegations as we do not have anything to do with them.”

 

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JUST IN: Abiodun Emerges Chairman Of Southern Governors Forum

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Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been elected Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum.

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, emerged Vice Chairman.

This followed a meeting of the Southern Governors Forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday.

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READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Cholera Outbreak: Lagos Records 29 Deaths, 579 Suspected Cases

The meeting, which lasted about five hours, had in attendance 13 governors and three deputy governors from the southern states.

The governors are Dapo Abiodun, Ogun, Godwin Obaseki, Edo, Seyi Makinde, Oyo, Alex Otti, Abia, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos, Ademola Adeleke, Osun, Francis Nwifuru, Ebonyi, Peter Mbah, Enugu, Douye Diri, Bayelsa, and Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom State.

Others are Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti, Bassey Otu, Cross River, Charles Soludo, Anambra, Imo state deputy governor, Chinyere Ekomaru, Delta State deputy governor, Monday Onyeme, and Ondo State deputy governor, Olayide Adelami.

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Bayelsa Poll Murder: Sylva Blasts Diri For Ordering His Prosecution

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A former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has lambasted the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, for ordering his prosecution over the death of George Sibo in the last governorship election.

Sylva was responding to a call by Governor Diri at the burial of the deceased in Twon-Brass on Thursday, directing the state Attorney-General to commence legal action against him (Sylva), and those who stormed the collation centre.

Diri alleged that the 31-year-old George Sibo was killed when Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the November 11 governorship poll, led his party members and supporters to invade the collation centre and held INEC officials hostage.

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The governor expressed sadness over the dastardly killing of the young man and promised that the state government would bring the culprits to book.

READ ALSO: Fubara Sacks Rivers Traditional Council Chairman, Makes Replacement

Sylva, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Julius Bokoru, said the directive, which Diri gave to his attorney-general, had shown the governor’s desperation to deploy diversionary tactics and distractions against his case at the Appeal Court.

The statement said: “Chief Sylva is curious at what Diri’s apparent desperation can push him to. It is clear this recent effort is a symptom of fear, shortly after Diri tried to conjure some phantom EFCC case against Sylva he devised a new method of distraction which, of course, is dead on arrival.

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“Sylva knows nothing of the murder of George Sibo, an illustrious and promising youth of the state, it is important to note that by the time the young man died, Sylva was well out of the Island.”

The statement alleged that Diri had continued to spend huge amounts of taxpayers’ money on heavy propaganda to distract Sylva’s focus on his case.

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The statement further said: “It is clear that this is fear, anxiety and everything to distract Chief Sylva after his attempt to bring up EFCC issues failed in the wake of a long and relentless string of propaganda against Chief Sylva with taxpayers monies.

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“It is clear that any attempt to drag Chief Sylva into this issue is either inspired by fear and anxiety or by a thoroughly jaundiced mindset.

“Everything imaginable has been put in Sylva’s way to distract him. After Diri’s attempt to bring up phantom EFCC issues failed. After the endless and relentless string of propaganda failed against Chief Sylva. Now this.”

The statement also stated: “Chief Sylva, concerned Bayelsans and the APC are trying everything within the law to get a stolen mandate back. Until justice is done, Diri’s Governorship remains illegitimate in the minds of every sincere Bayelsan and every sincere person of goodwill.”

 

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Edo Guber: Asue Ighodalo’s Campaign Council Member Dumps PDP

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Barely four months to the governorship election in Edo State, a member of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Council, Prince Felix Isuku, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Isuku’s resignation was contained in a letter addresed to the PDP state chairman and other relevant officials on Friday.

The three time Executive Director of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, under the current administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole, attributed his decision to the power struggle that started with the factionalization of the party in the state.

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Isuku, who was before now a member of the campaign committee of the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo, said in the resignation letter, “I write to inform you that after extensive consultations with my enlarged political family in Owan constituency in Owan East and Owan West, I have decided to formally resign as a member of the above named party (PDP).

READ ALSO: Edo Guber Final List : Group Knocks LP, Commends, INEC, Yakubu

“The reason for my resignation is because of the high level of power struggle that started with the fractionalization of the party and metamorphosed into an unprecedented and unending faction or political divide that has continued to affect the internal politics of the party (PDP).

“Another reason is the continued megalomaniac attitude of some party leaders which cannot be over emphasized or ignored.

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“I have lost interest in the leadership of the party and have as well lost confidence in the ability of the party to win any credible elections.

“Before now, I was the PDP Leader of Wards 3 and 4 of Ihievbe, as well as one of the foremost Leaders of PDP in Owan East and West Local Governments.

READ ALSO: Edo NNPP Suspends Vice Chairman , Others For Alleged Anti-Party Activities

“I also was a three time Executive Director of Edo State Internal Revenue Service under the current administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor the then Revered Comrade Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole.

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“I have worked tirelessly for the PDP using my personal resources and influence to wholeheartedly support the party at all times especially during electoral processes.

“However my interests and ideologies are no longer aligned with that of the party as a house divided against itself can never stand, hence my resignation.

“Kindly consider this as my resignation from every party responsibility henceforth including my service as a member of the campaign committee for Dr Asue Ighodalo.”

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