APC, PDP accuse each other over alleged plan to rig Edo governorship election

The accusation and counter-accusation between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the September 19 governorship election in Edo State continue as the parties get set for the election.

While addressing journalists on Friday, September 4, 2020, the State Chairman of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, accused the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole; and a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mustapha Lecky of plotting to manipulate the forthcoming election.

Nehikhare alleged that Ize-iyamu has connived with Lecky to nominate polling officers for the election in place of the National Youth Service Corps members.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu (left) and Godwin Obaseki (right) [Vanguard] Pulse Nigeria

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He said Lecky has been nominating people “with personal ties with Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu, to rig the election in favour of the APC”.

The PDP Chairman said, “The time-honoured tradition, which mandates that all political parties involved in the electioneering process submit names of persons to be used as ad hoc staff is being abused by Dr Lecky and his collaborators in the APC.

“While we have confidence in the INEC as an institution, we are calling on them to rein in Dr Lecky and his likes, in order to have an election that would uphold the will of the people and one that they can be proud of.

“We hereby call on the INEC leadership to review the process of selecting these officials and request that Dr. Lecky excuse himself from the process as his activities have been revealed to be threatening the integrity of the process, which will taint the outcome of the election.”

Reacting to the allegation, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Azebamwan described the claim by the PDP as a phantom and imaginary transaction.

He said, “This is a phantom and imaginary transaction. I can tell you authoritatively that the APC has not and cannot delve into the affairs of a statutory body recognised by the electoral law to conduct elections in this country. This is another ploy by the PDP and Governor (Godwin) Obaseki to distract Nigerians and Edo people from the matter at hand.

“Obaseki is the outgoing governor and he should be preparing his handover notes instead of misleading the people because he is aware of his obvious imminent defeat, so there is no truth in this frivolous allegation.”

Lecky has, however, described Nehikhare’s allegation as false, saying he would not be a party to electoral malpractice.