The Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation has advised those plotting to use the security agencies and some agents of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the forthcoming election to rethink as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the wards in the state are prepared to defend their votes by “any means necessary.’’
The organisation stated this on Sunday while responding to a meeting held by the APC leaders with their Unit Heads on Friday at former Leventis House, Sokponba Road, Benin City.
In the meeting, it was alleged that the Unit Heads were instructed to disrupt any polling unit where the PDP candidate wins during voting and counting of ballots papers.
In a statement, the Pastor Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation revealed that it was privy to the plot by the APC to rig the election
Part of the statement reads: “We have been informed by an insider at the meeting that APC leaders further warned their members that the election results must not be allowed to be declared by INEC Presiding Officers should PDP win in any unit in the state.
“The insider further informed us that APC had finally given up any hope of winning the election, and they are now planning crude measures to rig the election, including making their members as INEC ad-hoc staff members. “And if this is what they are planning then, they have failed because, our members have been instructed to defend their votes by all means necessary.’’
The organisation reiterated its call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the international community, non-governmental organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on INEC and security agencies to avoid any act that is capable of causing violence and plunging the state into unmanageable crisis.
“Election is not a do-or-die affair; we must allow the will of the Edo people to prevail on the election; and those who want to test the strength and will of our supporters should think twice because the negative consequences will be very huge.
“Our evidence is very strong. We know for sure that the APC is planning with their collaborators to withhold campaign materials from all the areas in Edo State where the PDP has clear voting majority supporters, ’’
The plan, according to the statement, will lead to electoral crisis that would invariably force INEC to declare the election inconclusive, adding that the APC in Edo had also perfected plans to influence INEC officials to supply faulty Card Readers to areas were PDP is very strong in order to deprive and reduce PDP votes.
It added: ‘‘they have also mapped out seven local government councils where they will disrupt election results and make the election inconclusive. We therefore strongly recommend to INEC to be law abiding and fair to all to avoid crisis it may not be able to manage. On our part, we have advised all PDP members and indeed Edo people to be law abiding, for victory is ours.”