The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State is planning to thwart the September 19, Governorship Election through a frivolous lawsuit.
This was disclosed by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that his party has credible intelligence that the APC, being aware of its imminent defeat, has resorted to using fringe political parties to approach the courts with a view of causing a constitutional crisis which will, if successful, would truncate the election and pave way for an unconstitutional takeover of the state.
He said, “The People’s Democratic Party raises alarm over plots by certain interests recruited by the All Progressives Congress to use frivolous lawsuit to scuttle the September 19 Edo state governorship election, following APC’s realization that there is no way it can win in the election.
“The said interests who are masquerading through certain political groups are seeking to blackmail the judiciary and stampede the court to violate the clear provisions of the Electoral Act and illegally halt the Edo election.
“Nigerians are already aware that section 87(10) (11) of the Electoral Act, clearly prohibits the courts from restraining the conduct of party primaries and general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“This section of the Electoral Act has put paid to situations in the past, where groups or individuals who have no real stake in elections were used as cannon fodders by selfish individuals and groups to manipulate the courts and frustrate electoral process against the interest of the people.”
According to Olognondiyan, it was obvious that the objective of the APC is to employ political groups to drag to the judiciary, cause constitutional crisis in Edo state, the Niger Delta region and the nation at large and blame the court for it.
He went further that, “The APC’s calculation is a reenactment of a similar judicial quagmire that led to the scuttling of the 1993 general election, a development that led to a serious national crisis that almost destroyed the corporate existence of our country.
“The PDP stands with the people of Edo state in condemning this plot by the APC to derail the democratic order, scuttle the governorship election, create an emergency situation, forcefully seize power and foist an undemocratic and oppressive regime in Edo state.
“Our party, therefore, cautions such unpatriotic persons to note that the people of Edo state are ready to go to the poll on September 19 and will vehemently resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the schedule of election or attempt a forceful takeover of their state.”
The PDP hinted that it was aware of the armed soldiers that have been drafted to the residences of the former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole in the Government Reserved Area, Benin and his country home in Iyamu.
“Our Party holds that it is indecorous, shameful and sinful on the part of the APC and the Buhari Presidency to leave the flanks of our people in Katsina, Kaduna, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Sokoto, Kogi open to bandits while Soldiers are guarding the residence of suspended Oshiomhole just to enable him to perpetrate electoral heist.” Ologbondiyan said.
The PDP then urged that the Federal Government should withdraw the soldiers and deploy them to Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara where terrorists and bandits posing serious threat.
