The Edo State chapter of People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) has demanded for an immediate Independent investigation into the circumstances that have led Edo state government renovating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office building in Benin.
The main opposition party in the state in a statement by its spokesman Chris Osa Nehikhare said the ungodly alliance and collaboration was discovered when the tender for this contract was advertised in the Vanguard Newspapers of Monday, April 27, 2020 by the Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
Nehikhare said the party’s call is predicated on the fact that in less than six months, INEC will be conducting a gubernatorial election whereby the APC led Governor Obaseki will be a key player. He said Edo PDP is saddened and dismayed that Governor Obaseki’s government has now resorted to “bribery” in an attempt to get a second term at all cost.
Nehikhare further stated that the situation is another manifestation of leadership failure and insensitivity of the Governor Obaseki-led APC administration to the plight of Edo people at critical moments.
He said the development is unacceptable for a government that is struggling with providing palliatives for its citizens, helping businesses stay afloat and running an efficient and effective government, to continually divert state resources to the detriment of its people.
Nehikhare said the opposition party condemned unequivocally, the attempt by Governor Obaseki to bribe, compromise, coarse, intimidate, corrupt and manipulate INEC by the renovation or construction of its office building in Benin City.
“It is even more ludicrous for Governor Obaseki to ignore the optics of such a venture. Such anti-people antic from government is symptomatic of a leadership that has not only lost focus, but has lost touch and, certainly, the confidence of the people he was elected to serve.
“Our party holds that Governor Obaseki is desperate to get a second term and as such has thrown caution to the wind by pursing extraneous issues that have no direct benefits on the lives of the people,” Nehikhare said.
He added that INEC as an independent body, should not allow itself to be compromised by accepting gifts from desperate state governments so close to elections.
Nehikhare said investigation by PDP, shows that INEC doesn’t have an office in the address advertised. “This is just another avenue to fleece our state treasury. This APC administration is reputed to be a haven of corrupt individuals, treasury looters, certificate forgers and election riggers,” he said.
The Edo PDP further stated that the Independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry must ascertain who approached who? Was it EDSG or was it INEC, What demands were made? What promises were extracted?
The PDP said their primary focus as a party remains the welfare of the citizens as they are passing through a very difficult and harrowing experience as Edo State government has failed to reach the most vulnerable Edolites whose survival directly depends on daily incomes in the markets, shops and streets, adding that the action of the state government and INEC is unfortunate, reprehensible, treacherous and scandalous.
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