From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday alerted local communities in Edo State to beware of fake chiefs masquerading as Benin chiefs from the palace of the Oba of Benin, spreading falsehood that the Oba sent them to tell the communities not to vote for the APC during the gubernatorial election.
A chieftain of the party and Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Political Affairs, Charles Idahosa, who raised the alarm, accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party of recruiting the suspected fake chiefs and dressed them in Benin traditional robes to canvass votes for the party.
He said the incident happened in oghada community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to him, the fake chiefs fled after they were discovered, adding that the matter had been reported to security agencies and the palace. “You can see the PDP desperation. Do you know that we just discovered that in Uhunmwode, the PDP hired some fake chiefs we found that at Oghada but they escaped. They came in big jeeps moving from one village to the other, claiming the palace sent them to tell people not to vote for the APC, the same old trick. You can see desperation and we know they were not Benin chiefs. They were dressed like Benin chiefs; you see the desperation of one man to be governor at all cost.
“In the same desperation they are bringing militants to Edo with guns. Already, 13 of them are in detention. What they did in Rivers and Delta states they cannot do it here. Why am saying this, is that, I feel sorry for some of our colleagues in the urban area. In Uhunmwode, we all know ourselves, so it is not possible in the villages.
“These governors who cannot pay salaries are bringing in money here, where will they get money to pay them back?”
Idahosa said that he found the allegation so funny, stating that what the party does is what it is accusing other people of doing.”
Speaking further, he queried: “Is this the first time of postponing election in this country? We have postponed election when people were already voting in this country; in 2015 and the most painful part is that the PDP is now looking for how to refund N700 million, it incurred when the 2015 election was postponed six weeks on the basis of a security report that the country was not safe.”
Edo guber shift: Kowa party candidate withdraws from race
…Urges supporters to vote for PDP
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo governorship candidate of the Kowa Party, Thompson Osadolor, has withdrawn from the race, citing the impact of the postponement on his campaign as his reason.
Osadolor condemned the postponement, stating that INEC’s action destabilised his campaign.
His words: “I am not satisfied with the postponement of the election. They (INEC) knew that we would win the election; that was why they postponed the election.
“Having done that, they have destabilised us. That is one of the reasons we withdrew from the governorship race.
Osadolor urged the party supporters to vote for the PDP, adding that the PDP was a better alternative because of the similarities between the manifestos of the two parties.
“After the postponement of the election, I met with my campaign team and we decided to harmonise our campaign with that of the PDP. Our manifesto and that of the PDP are very similar and I think we will be able to work together.
We reached an agreement with the PDP that we are going to run an inclusive government. PDP did not make any financial commitment to us. We do not have any financial agreement,” Osadolor explained.