The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has accused the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki of wantonly disbursing a whooping sum of N1.7m to Electoral Officers across the 18 local government areas on Friday, in order to secure a second term as governor.
Besides, the APC said it received “veritable details of how Governor Godwin Obaseki spent over N100m for the purchase of arms. His deputy, Philip Shaibu, took the contract for the supply and distribution to thugs.”
Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, revealed, “On Friday, Governor Godwin Obaseki directed Local Government Chairmen to give N1.7m to Electoral Officials (EOs) in the various Local Government Areas. One of the council chairmen said he has ordered his Council’s Treasurer to effect the payments under the sub-head of ‘support for elections logistics.'”
Mayaki said, “The disbursement was done yesterday, Friday, and confirms our earlier revelation he has a N5bn budget earmarked for election rigging and vote commerce. We also have veritable details of how Governor Godwin Obaseki spent over N100m for the purchase of arms. His deputy, Philip Shaibu, took the contract for the supply and distribution to thugs.”
The party also disclosed that at least 25 pump action guns had been budgeted for each local government area while condemning PDP’s desperation and fearing that the aftermath will leave a bad taste in the state.
“What manner of society does the Obaseki-led government want to bequeath? How do you mop up these arms in the wrong hands? What about the increase in robbery, assassination, kidnapping and violent crimes after the election? This is quite unfortunate and leaves a bad taste in our body polity.
“Nonetheless”, the APC, according to Mayaki, “wishes to call on the people of Edo state to come out in their numbers to cast their votes for the candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu saying voters should be rest assured that their votes would count.”
The APC advised voters to stay vigilant during the elections, as the PDP and governor’s agents are wont to steal their mandates adding that “we do not think the PDP would be reckless enough to open fire on people who come out to monitor the elections. We trust the police to protect the rights of the citizens as they are prepared to arrest any form of violence or electoral fraud.”
“Come out in your numbers to vote for the APC and it’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. We have power in numbers. All we have is ourselves, as a party and a state. One man cannot steal all our mandates. We must stay vigilant till the very end. We must all keep watch in our prospective polling units, wards, local government areas and senatorial districts. Do not let ballot boxes disappear. It is a crime to rig elections, and even PDP members with a conscience must not allow rigging take place,” the party advised.
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