AfricCon NewsAfricCon Latest Nigerian Report: ACN, PDP Trade Blame Over Edo Local Government PollAfriccon Media, Nigeria
Benin — Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of doing everything possible to stop the Local Government election in the state, saying it has so far stopped the conduct of the election twice in Esan North East Local Government Area.
The Governor said the PDP is using instruments of the federal government to harass and intimidate the voters.
Speaking during the swearing in ceremony of the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Oredo, Ikpoba Okha and Esan West Local Government Areas in Benin City yesterday, the governor said, "twice the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) tried to conduct election in Esan North East and twice the PDP disrupted it.
"The evidence was clear on that Saturday in Esan land, in Uromi you had canopies belonging to ACN , the other canopy for PDP supporters and just looking at the canopies you can see where the majority are and that was why he insisted that election must be postponed and he misused federal instrument to force that postponement in clear breach of the electoral act," the governor noted.
According to him, "today, we could have sworn in a candidate from the local government but again he used hired thugs to confiscate election materials, carry fake result sheets and even detained people at Uromi police station."
The Governor appealed to the opposition to allow the ballot to prevail because primordial sentiments will not work in the state again.
Comrade Oshiomhole disclosed that "even the worst critics will agree that the election of the three local government chairmen was easily the most peaceful, most transparent and the security agents were unanimous that it was the best election ever."
But reacting to the allegations the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has singled out Governor Adams Oshiomhole for what it described as a shoddy conduct of last Saturday local government election in the state and the cancelation of the election in Esan North East Local Government Area.
Speaking with journalists at the headquarters of the party in Benin City on Friday, Edo State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said "the conduct of the election has confirmed the fear of many people in Edo State that the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), as composed by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, lacked the capacity to conduct a free and fair election.
"It was clear from the beginning that Oshiomhole and the ACN were not interested in conducting a free and fair election but we went ahead because we wanted to deepen democracy in this state and send a signal to the ACN that the PDP is still alive and kicking.
