…NDDC denies mobilising N150 million to support APC
From Tony Osauzo and IghomuayeLucky, Benin
Ahead of next Saturday’s Local Government elections in Edo State, the state chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are at loggerheads over allegation of vote-buying.
The state Chairman of the Edo PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, in a statement, yesterday, alleged that the APC and a director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have concluded plots to rig and buy votes during the election with N150 million.
“We are once again drawing the attention of the world and all lovers of democracy to the glaring fact that the APC is attempting to rig the Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, September 2, 2023, by mobilising N150 million from the Niger Delta Development Commission to execute their evil plan to buy votes and rig the elections.
“It is regrettable and disturbing that at a time when Edo people are suffering as a result of the criminally neglected federal roads and the biting economic hardship supervised by the APC-led Federal Government, the party is deploying NDDC’s resources to subvert the will of the Edo People.
“It is shameful that the APC-led Federal Government is using funds meant for the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta to buy votes. We are sure that the resort to this shameful tactic is because the APC is certain of defeat,” he said.
Aziegbemi advised that the N150 million should be deployed by the NDDC to fix the failed federal roads in Edo State, adding that if the APC’s candidates are desirous of winning the elections they should campaign and sell their programmes and candidates to Edo people.
But in a swift response, the APC said that the party was ashamed over the spurious allegations made by the beleaguered factional state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Aziegbemi, regarding a plot to rig and buy votes in the upcoming council elections, using N150 million from the NDDC.
The party in a statement signed by its state Assistant Publicity Secretary, Ofure Osehobo, said: “These allegations are baseless and unfounded, but coming from a decapitated body, it is understandable. The Edo PDP is on life support. Nevertheless, the Edo APC is committed to a free and fair election process, and we believe in the power of our people to choose the next crop of local government leaders without any external interference or manipulation. But this is a far cry with the junta in Edo.
“The factional PDP Chairman’s statement regarding the use of NDDC funds is misleading and lacking in evidence. The NDDC operates independently and has its own budget and priorities. Any insinuation that NDDC funds will be used for illegitimate purposes is a blatant attempt to tarnish the reputation of the commission and the APC. But Mr Aziegbemi cannot understand this.
“We also find it ironic that the Edo PDP which leader, for want of a better label, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has already written the results of the elections with PDP candidates as chairmen/councillors across the 18 local government areas is the party raising concerns.
“For the records, the Edo APC call on the PDP to retract its wild allegations. We believe that Edo people should have the opportunity to choose their leaders based on merit and cannot be swayed by false information and baseless accusations from a loser party like the PDP”.
Also speaking at Edo South APC stakeholders meeting yesterday, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), director of Administration and Finance in NDDC, described the PDP allegation as spurious, saying that there was no proof of NDDC involvement in the election.
He said that the PDP was jittery over its impending loss at the polls, stating that the APC was ready to take the lead in the state starting with the LG polls next Saturday.
“What evidence do they have? They are already jittery that APC is coming out strong to take charge. The election has nothing to do with NDDC and I think they are already getting feelers that there is an underground movement in the APC to come out victorious next Saturday. The more rumour they bring out, the ready we are to debunk them.”
He stated that the stakeholders and the candidates met to fine-tune arrangement and check their level of preparedness for the polls and urged the APC members not to be distracted by rumour, calling on them to come out en masse on the election day.
At the stakeholders meeting, the Ward chairmen of the seven local government areas of Edo South took turns to explain their state of preparedness for the elections.