The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Edo State governorship election has demanded the federal government to order probe, arrest and prosecution of those perpetrating electoral violence in the state.
The campaign council alleged that prominent leaders of the APC had been marked for arrest and assassination before or during the poll.
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The Vice Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the APC Campaign, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, specifically alleged at a press conference on Friday, in Abuja, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for the election, Governor Godwin Obaseki, had imported militants from Delta and other PDP states to execute the task.
But the Secretary Publicity Sub-Committee of the PDP National Campaign Council (PDPNCC), Kola Ologbondiyan, dispelled the claim, saying the allegation against the PDP and its candidate was what the APC leaders had allegedly planned to do.
The election has been slated for September 19, while PDP and its candidate, Obaseki, as well as APC and its candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu are the major contenders.
Obahiagbon said: “Let it be known by the whole world that the Governor of Edo State and his government, in continuation of their disregard for the rule of law, democratic ethics and constitutionalism, has intensified their illegal importation of dangerous arms and ammunition, as well as the daily recruitment and importation of notorious thugs and criminals from neighboring PDP states, particularly Delta, for the purpose of causing mayhem and disrupting the peaceful conduct of the election in most parts of Edo State.
“We have it on good authority that the Edo State government and members of its kitchen cabinet have drawn up a list of prominent APC leaders across the state that they have targeted for maiming, physical assault, assassination, kidnapping and sponsored robbery attacks whilst also tinkering with the idea of using heavy duty trailers to orchestrate road accidents of APC leaders, before or on the day of the September 19 governorship elections.
“We are alarmed at the rapid multiplication of these firearms and the now-too-common presence of violent groups with prolific ammunition who are on the march with the Edo state Governor as he campaigns from place to place and in the process terrorizing the people and leaving behind an unfortunate trail of sorrow, blood, and tears everywhere he goes for campaigns.
“Rather than excite, Mr. Governor’s campaign trail has now become a bad omen, a harbinger of evil, and a stage of wanton violence and shootings, causing residents to flee their homes upon hearing news of the outgoing governor’s visit.”
But reacting, the Secretary Publicity Sub-Committee of the PDP National Campaign Council told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the allegations were misplaced.
“How can we do that?
“That has shown to Nigerians what the APC intends to do on the election day.
“Nigerians know those who engineered the killing of our people in Kano; Nigerians know the political party which took thugs to Osun on election day; Nigerians know the political family of people who were arrested on their way to Akwa Ibom to go and cause mayhem on election day.
“So no follower of the politics of our nation today will take the APC seriously if they make allegations concerning electoral violence because Nigerians know the perpetrators of electoral violence in our country.
“As we speak, the APC is trying to bring in the tragedy that occurred in Kano, Kogi and Osun states and we are already aware.
“So their market has closed because Nigerians have known them,” he said.
