The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday took a swipe at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
PDP or any of its organs, APC said, lack the moral right to call on President Muhammadu Buhari, INEC and security agencies to “play an impartial role” in the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo.
APC described the call as “a dubious and a smokescreen for their real and sinister intentions.”
The PDP Governors’ Forum had in a communiqué enjoined the Buhari, INEC and security agencies to “play an impartial role” in forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
Reacting to the call, APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena in a statement in Abuja, said PDP lacks the moral right to make the call in view of its antecedents.
APC said: “The PDP’s call is dubious and a smokescreen for their real and sinister intentions.
“The real issue is how the Edo state treasury has been criminally converted to a political slush fund as exposed by the widely reported faceoff between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shuaibu over release of funds for the PDP governorship campaign.”
The governing party further accused the opposition party of planning to breach security in the two states by unleashing violence, intimidate voters and buy votes during the elections.
“As chairman of the Edo State PDP governorship Campaign Council, the violence being threatened by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike ahead of the September 19 Edo governorship elections are the real issues.
“Wike has promised to “make sure that everything needed is done” to foist the PDP governorship candidate on the good people of Edo State.
“There are already credible reports of Wike’s plan to import thugs from neighbouring states to achieve their rigging plot.
“We reiterate that he will not succeed. We stand with the good people of Edo state in calling on our security services not to allow the PDP and Wike turn Edo state into a killing field.
“Our security services must do everything to stop the PDP’s plan to unleash violence, intimidate voters and buy votes during the election.
“Come September 19, votes will count and the will of the Edo electorate will prevail.”