Edo guber: PDP charges INEC, Police to ensure free, fair election

*Vows to reject any result which fails to reflect people’s will

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

Ahead of the Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Police not to allow the All Progressives Congress , APC, to pitch them against the people.

The PDP specifically urged INEC and the police to ensure a free, fair and credible election in Edo State.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Debo Ologunagba said this at a media briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ologunagba, who declared that the

tide of the Saturday’s election indicated that the PDP is coasting to a sweeping victory, added, that it is “clear for all to see and the people of Edo State are not ready to accept any result that does not reflect their Will as expressed at the

ballot”.

According to the National Publicity Secretary, “The tide of this election, to the effect that the PDP is coasting to a sweeping victory, is clear for all to see and the people of Edo State are not ready to accept any result that does not reflect their Will as expressed at the ballot.

“The PDP therefore charges INEC and the Police not to allow the APC to pitch them against the people. They must ensure a free, fair and credible election in Edo State.

“The PDP has information that some unscrupulous INEC officials have concluded plans to give result sheets to APC.

“We call on INEC to ensure the endorsement of all result sheets by the REC and National Commissioner for the zone assigned for the election for authentication at the time of the distribution of election materials to the various Local Governments, Wards and Units”, he said.

The PDP, Ologunagba pointed out, has also been alerted that the APC has allegedly given fake police and military uniforms and dangerous weapons to their thugs to unleash violence on the people of Edo State on election day.

According to him, “These harassments, arrests and torture of PDP members and supporters are going on with the knowledge of the Edo State Commissioner of and the entreaties by the PDP to IGP to put such to and end have not received the desired attention.

“Against this backdrop the PDP states in clear terms that our Party and the people of Edo State will not fold our hands and allow the APC to intimidate the people, subvert or rig the Saturday, September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election.

“The PDP and the people of Edo State are for peace but if the APC wants trouble, the PDP and the people of Edo State will use every legitimate weapon and means available in a democratic resistance to fight back, head-to-head and with overwhelming force to protect and ensure that nobody subverts the Will of the people at the poll.

“The PDP, in very clear terms, cautions that from henceforth any APC thug, fake or compromised security operatives that attempt to abduct any innocent citizen of Edo State, attempt to snatch ballot box or cause any crisis on election will know that Edo no bi Kogi.

“The PDP therefore directs all our members and supporters across Edo State to get ready for election. They should equip themselves with all necessary self-defense mechanism to defend their Will and our democracy.

“The PDP directs all our members and supporters to go their respective polling units with enough food, water, medication, mats, spare cloths, smart phones and other essential items.

“They should remain calm, law-abiding, vote peacefully but alert and ready to defend their votes. After casting their votes, they should stay back peacefully and ensure that their votes are counted and results directly uploaded before leaving”, he said’.