The clash of words between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has not come to an end yet, even after the governorship debate held in the state where the PDP and the ACN engaged in a verbal battle to the amusement of the audience.
Just one week to the most talked about Edo governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Congress of Nigeria have continued to engage themselves in a war of words.
Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, a PDP national leader had in an interview in Benin, told journalist in the most confident way that PDP will emerge victoriously in the July 14th governorship election.
However, reacting to the statement, the Edo ACN chairman, Thomas Okosun, refuted Ogbemudia’s assertion, saying that the ACN was battle ready to frustrate all the effort of rigging that could emanate from the PDP’s desk.
Ogbemudia, in a reconciliation meeting in his house in Benin had assured the PDP that its candidate, Charles Airhiavbere would be wearing the crown after the July 14th governorship election.
He said, “A research has been carried out in the past two weeks, which revealed that the PDP will garner 25 per cent of votes from Edo North, where Oshiomhole is from, 70 per cent from Edo Central, Chief Tony Anenih’s area, and will win Edo South by 60 per cent.”
Admitting that it was a herculean task to defeat the incumbent governor, he said “Not only is the governor intelligent, he has a very high IQ (Intelligent Quotient), and he is loved by the people.”
Okosun had opened up by stating that his party would watch the PDP carefully in case of rigging and any form of manipulation.
He said, “They have also been indulging in other acts: sponsoring violence and buying voter cards from prospective voters in the state. All these things are the antics of a desperate party, but the people of Edo are now wiser and cannot be hoodwinked.
“They will fail because all their evil plans will be checkmated. The people will monitor their votes right from the polling booth to the state INEC head office.
“The good works of the ACN under the comrade governor is for us, just as he has been highlighting at our rallies across the state, we cannot allow the tide of development to be reversed in Edo. The people will vote ACN, and are ready to defend their votes.”
Oshiomhole’s Director of Media and Publicity of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation, Kassim Afegbua, equally referred to the PDP’s dream of winning the Edo state election as utopian and unrealizable..
He said, “The PDP is lazy about campaigns. It is relying on the use of imported thugs and touts into Edo State.
“They will be shocked to find that the ruling party in the state has tremendous goodwill to checkmate all their shenanigans.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier in a stste visit to Edo State advised the political parties involved in the Edo state poll to adhere strictly to the principle of one man, one votee of one man, one vote, saying that ballot box stuffing, falsification of election results and violence would not be overlooked during the election.
Relatively, the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed the deployment of about 8,842 personnel to Edo state for the election.
It also confirmed that not less than 7 candidates would be contesting for the Edo state’s governorship election come July 14th.
They include Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (ACN), Solomon Edehiri (All Nigeria Peoples Party), Izevbuwa Roland (Congress for Progressive Change), Andrew Igwemoh (Labour Party), Paul Orumwense (National Conscience Party), Charles Airhiarbere (PDP) and Frank Ukonga (Social Democratic Mega Party).
The commission’s Director (Public Affairs), Mr. Emmanuel Umenger, said there were 2,627 polling units in the state, asserting that INEC would be “deploying 8,842 personnel to conduct the election.”
He further confirmed that 1,555,776 registered voters are to take part in the election.
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