By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Ahead of what may turn out to be a very bloody election in Edo state come September 19, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to go after those committing electoral crimes so as to restore a conducive atmosphere for the polls.
The two leading party’s in Edo state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP has been at each other throat in the past few weeks and accusing one another of sponsoring violence and lawlessness in the state.
The electoral umpire, INEC had threatened to postpone the election if an enabling environment, conducive for the conduct of the poll is not put in place.
But the Secretary of Publicity subcommittee of PDP National Campaign Council for Edo state, Kola Ologbondiyan in a press conference on Friday in Abuja accused the APC of sponsoring violence and attacking its members while INEC showed not no interest
Ologbondiyan who was responding to the threat by INEC to postpone the election said that the electoral umpire is aware of the brain behind the escalated violence and invasion of the state assembly but chose to remain a lame dog.
He said, “The electoral law provides punishment for electoral malfeasance and we believe in the Peoples Democratic Party that we are the victims of APC attack. We were harassed at Obas palace in Benin, INEC did not say anything. Our people are being harassed all over the place in Edo state, what has INEC said.
“INEC must go after those who are committing electoral crimes. They brought guns, they brought cutlasses, they caused mayhem at the Obas palace, what has INEC done in respect of that.
“INEC knows who are behind the callous atrocities that is on going in Edo state and it must go after them. There are no two people that are doing this, it is the APC and their leaders that are responsible for the violence and that is the position of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“Our party is known as a party of peace, we are not violence prone. We conduct our affairs in accordance with the laws and constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party. INEC knows those who are responsible for violence in elections, they know those who went to Kano and brought in foreigners to attack the citizens of this country. They know those who burnt people alive in Kogi state. They also knows those who went after people in Ife and other parts of Osun state, to cause mayhem and to change results. They should go after them”.
He also claimed that the party has uncovered plots by APC to rig the Edo election with the use of fake result sheets and ballot papers but vowed that the PDP will ensure that the plan does not see the light of the day.
