A former Commissioner for Information in Edo State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has exposed the plans by his party and its candidate Governor Godwin Obaseki to rig the election on Saturday, September 19.
Afegbua, in a statement on Sunday, said he had received information from a reliable source within the PDP fold, that the party had partitioned the state into three segements based on its senatorial structure.
He said in the statement, “My real worry is the information that I just received from my very reliable sources within the PDP fold.
“The information has to do with how the Obaseki-led PDP plans to rig the election on Saturday, 19th September.
“The PDP has partitioned the state into three segements based on its senatorial structure. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been assigned to oversee activities in Edo South, comprising 7 Local Governments.
“Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has been given the responsibility to oversee Edo central senatorial district comprising 5 Local Governments, while Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and Fintiri of Adamawa state would both oversee Edo North.
“The two Governors are to stay in the home of the Deputy Governor, Phillip Shuaibu, in Jattu.”
He further stated that part of the plans, include hiring thugs from neighbouring states of Rivers, Delta and Kogi to cause mayhem in the process of perpetrating their rigging.
He also disclosed that the PDP planned to engage in massive votes buying.
“They have already earmarked five thousand (N5,000) and ten thousand naira, (N10,000), per voter in these areas.
“For Edo South, the sum of N10,000 naira per voter has been agreed upon.
“For Edo North also, N10,000 per voter has been agreed upon to ensure the party is able to penetrate what is seen as Comrade Oshiomhole’s stronghold.
“The sum of N5,000 naira each is allocated to voters of Edo central,” Afegbua said.
He added that the suspended State Chairman of the APC, who has refused to decamp, had been given the role of executioner, with Governor Ifeanyi as the coordinator.
Afegbua said they intended to provide uniforms to their anointed thugs to disguise as uniformed personnel.
“This information is necessary as a reminder to the PDP that Godwin Obaseki remains a bad omen for the party and does not deserve a second term of office.
“The security agencies are by this statement given notice to keep an eagle eye over the desire by some persons to carry out dastardly acts in the name of election.
“Governor Obaseki has not lived up to expectation. No Edo person’s blood is worth spilling under the guise of election.
“The level of desperation has gotten to fever pitch, and must be checked immediately. Election should not be a do- or- die situation,” he said.
Afegbua wondered while his party was so desperate to foist Godwin Obaseki on Edo people after what he described as a “collosal failure” at his first attempt.
“From all available evidence, Godwin Obaseki has largely scammed Edo people, claiming projects which are never connected to him.
“It smacks of dubiety for the Governor to lay claim to TETFund- funded projects in Ambrose Alli University, Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor, College of Education, Igueben, Edo state Polytechnic, Usen.
“These are institutions that have not enjoyed any intervention by the state government, yet they lay claims to projects presently undertaken by the Federal Government. This is dubious and fraudulent.
“The same applies to the Modular Refinery at Ologbo and the Ossiomo Power plant, both concerns that are exclusively owned by private individuals which the State Government has deliberately hijacked as though the state owns them,” he added.
Afegbua said Governor Obaseki’s record of performance remained abysmal and dismal, reason why the PDP state chapter scored him F9 earlier this year.
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