Edo people will resist attempt to tamper with scheduled date of election — PDP

By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said that the people of Edo state would resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the state governorship election schedule for Sept. 19.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja alleged that there were plots by certain interests to use frivolous lawsuits to scuttle the scheduled date.

“The PDP revealed that the said interests masquerading through certain political groups were seeking to blackmail the judiciary and stampede the court to violate the clear provisions of the Electoral Act and illegally halt the Edo election.

“Nigerians are already aware that section 87(10) (11) of the Electoral Act, clearly prohibits the courts from restraining the conduct of party primaries and general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This section of the Electoral Act has put paid to situations in the past, where groups or individuals who have no real stake in elections were used as canon fodders by selfish individuals and groups to manipulate the courts and frustrate electoral process against the interest of the people,’’ Ologbondiyan said.

He said that the PDP stood with the people of Edo state in condemning the plot to derail the democratic order, scuttle the governorship election and create an emergency situation in the state.

“Our party, therefore, cautions such unpatriotic persons to note that the people of Edo state are ready to go to the poll on Sept. 19 and will vehemently resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the schedule of election or attempt a forceful takeover of their state.’’

Ologbondiyan also alleged that the PDP had been informed of the drafting of soldiers to the residence of an APC chieftain in GRA Benin and Iyamho, ahead of the state election.

He urged President Mohammadu Buhari to immediately withdraw the alleged deployed troops to their constitutional duty posts in the interest of Nigeria.

The PDP spokesman also condemned the fire incidence at INEC head office in Akure, Ondo state.

He said that the destruction of INEC sensitive equipment was to frustrate the conduct of credible, free and fair governorship election in the state.

Ologbondiyan alleged that it was not by accident that the fire occurred in no other place than the facility where sensitive materials, such as card readers were stored.

He recalled that the fire incident lead to the destruction of no fewer than 5,141 card readers meant for the election.

He called on security agents to prevent any further attacks on other INEC facilities in the state to cripple the commission and impede the conduct of a credible poll.

Ologbondiyan said that the PDP would intensely monitor the process of replacement of the burnt card readers by INEC.

This according to him is to ensure that those behind  any plan do not succeed in their plots to manipulate the programming of the new card readers to suit their plots of compromising sensitive data in the existing voters’ register in Ondo State. (NAN)