The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship election has condemned what it described as the “despicable attempt by the All Progressive Congress (APC), to hide under the guise of disbursement of Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES) to swindle the people of Edo state and violate their conscience ahead of the September 19 election”.
This is coming after wife to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyam, APC governorship candidate in the polls, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu was seen three days to the election in partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) under Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment and an APC member, empowering” about 2,000 women and youth in the state by providing loans to them.
“How would the wife of a candidate in an election be partnering with the federal government a few days before the election to “empower” Edo people? How do you defend it? That is a clear vote buying by proxy,” the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) had Wednesday queried in a statement.
The PDP campaign, in reaction, said “the desperate resort to such underhand measure has further exposed the fact that the APC has lost confidence in the ability of its degraded candidate”, Ize-Iyamu, to command any genuine vote on Saturday.
The party added that such illicit and scandalous enterprise avails nothing, as the people of Edo state cannot be bought.
This was contained in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesperson, on Thursday.
“This criminal and shameful attempt to beguile the people and buy their conscience is an unpardonable insult to the sensibilities of the good people of Edo state,” the statement further reads.
“Such corrupt approach has further wrecked the integrity of the APC and its damaged candidate and distanced them the more from Edo voters.
“More distressing is that the APC, in its desperation, is shamelessly trying to use the Micro Enhancement Scheme to introduce diabolic measures and derail the electoral process.
“Worse still, the plan by the APC is that the unsuspecting participants, who will be promised sums of money to assist in compromising the election, will be abandoned after their voters cards have been collected and left to their fate, when apprehended.
“The PDP Campaign however commends the leaders and citizens of Edo state, in various communities for condemning and rejecting this satanic plot by the APC to buy the people and compromise the sanctity of the election.
“Our campaign also urges the people of Edo state to remain at alert as well as continue to reject and report any attempt by the APC to compromise them with financial or material inducement.
“Furthermore, the people of Edo must ensure that they not release their voter cards, personal pictures or lists of persons in their communities, churches, mosques and other groups to anybody ahead of Saturday’s election.
“Our campaign also urges the people to remain prayerful and vigilant against forces of darkness that are out to compromise the electoral process.
“Moreover, the PDP campaign counsels the APC and Ize-Iyamu to withdraw from the election instead of resorting to underhand measures, since it is clear that nothing, not even violence, lies, monetary inducement and their endless shenanigans can make the people of Edo state change their resolve to re-elect Governor Godwin Obaseki on Saturday.”
