The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has issued a strong warning to the Independent Electoral Commission against glitches or hitches that could lead to rigging in the upcoming governorship election on September 21.

Obi made this statement during the grand finale of the party’s campaign in Benin, where he expressed his full support for the Labour Party’s flag bearer, Olumide Akpata.

He said, “We don’t want excuses again, we are tired of excuses. Let me use this (opportunity) to warn INEC. They said they would use BVAS and iRev. No glitches, no hitches. We want this election to be free and fair.

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“We are not looking for anybody’s vote. Time of rigging must come to an end in this country; time of rigging is coming to an end in this country. We are coming to a time where anybody that rigs an election we will rig him.

“We cannot continue that way, that’s what Labour Party wants to change and that change is what we are preaching – Olu Akpata, he’s not just our guy, he’s our governor.”

This he said, in reference to the alleged glitch that the Independent National Electoral Commission encountered during the 2023 general elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Thursday morning, began the distribution of sensitive materials to the 18 local government areas in Edo State.

The distribution is being done on the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria at Akpakpava junction, located at Ring Road, Benin.

The hired vehicles that will convey the materials to various locations are already stationed beside the CBN.

The area was closed to commercial activities as buses plied one way to enter and exit the area. Journalists from both print and electronic media besieged the venue to capture the moment.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Onuoha Anugbum, supervised the distribution of the material.

He confirmed the development to journalists inside the Central Bank before the commencement of the distribution of materials.

He said, “Yes, we are here, we have commenced the distribution of sensitive materials to the local government area.”

Party officials were also at the venue to monitor the distribution process.

Despite the early morning drizzle, the distribution team moved under the canopy set up for other stakeholders to continue the process.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustee on Wednesday, says Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state is the President the party now.

The Chairman of the Board, Sen. Aldolphus Wabara, stated this in Bauchi when he led members of the board on a consultative meeting with the governor.

According to him, the Board decided to visit the governor in his capacity as the governor of Bauchi state and the Chairman, PDP Governors Forum and consult with him and other governors.

He said: “We have come to consult with you and by extension, your other colleagues. We are not happy with what is happening in the party and I don’t think Nigerians are happy with what is happening in the party.

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“You will recall that a few months ago, this same board wanted to swing into action but the interpretation then was that it would be a duplication of functions, otherwise, what is happening now would have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

“And of course you as the President the PDP has as of now, when you advised against it, we said our President has spoken.

“So, we couldn’t do otherwise but like the saying goes that God’s time is the best, the founders of this party know that we missed it last year, we missed it in 2019 but they have asked us to come and start early to cross the T’s and dot the eyes for 2027.

“That is why we are here. The problem in Rivers State, the problem of the NWC but we know how to address and resolve issues in PDP,” he said.

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Wabara added that the board would not allow any factionalization of ideas as it knew that the party was suffering including Bala Mohammed.

Responding, Mohammed said that the Board of Trustee is the conscience of the party and there was no party on the continent of Africa that has an array of human capital that the PDP has.

“God has endowed us with people, men and women with experience and capacity but certainly, he has tested us with losses here and there and we need to cover a lot of grounds to reunite the party, bring us together for the common good.

“As the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, we discussed with the major organ of the party, the NWC, on the areas you have discussed and raised now.

“And you can see that the governors are United, they are together in most of these major areas. I cannot talk without the mandate of the governors.

“The governors are with you and I will make sure that every disparaging body, entity or person is brought together,” he said.