Edo 2020: APC In Collision Course With INEC REC, PDP Over ‘Plot To Manipulate Poll’

The Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has traded hot words with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged plots to manipulate the September 19 Edo governorship poll.

A report in the New Diplomat says Edo APC chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd.) on Saturday accused Igini, a former Edo REC, of meeting with PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki at his private residence in Benin to perfect the alleged rigging plot.

Speaking with reporters in Benin, Imuse said: “On August 27, we received reliable information on a secret meeting between Igini and Obaseki.

“Around 3 am, Igini was seen driving into the private residence of Obaseki in Benin in company with two other known allies of Edo governor, one of whom was identified as Anselm Ojezua (former factional Chairman of APC in Edo State, who is an ally of Obaseki).

“At the meeting, Igini, Obaseki and other top PDP allies designed and examined ways and strategies to rig the outcome of the September 19 governorship election in Edo State with an exclusive focus on the production of fake ballots and the inducement of recruited INEC’s ad hoc staff, to aid the success of the rigging plans.

“Already, before the meeting, we received information, backed with proof, on Igini’s illegal conscription of youth corps members who would be playing vital roles in the conduct of the election as ad hoc staff.

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“Some of the corps members volunteered information on how they were contacted by Igini and offered deals to help the PDP at the poll, in exchange for cash benefits.

“Igini was quoted by them to have personally assured them of their safety and protection against prosecution, if they accept the offer to rig the election in favour of the PDP and Obaseki.

“We also obtained photographs of Igini at Protea Hotel, Benin, where visiting National Commissioners of INEC were lodged, apparently running the errands of Obaseki and the PDP.

“He (Igini) was overheard at the hotel discussing the Edo governorship election and the recruitment of ad hoc staff. We dare Igini to deny his presence at the hotel and we shall immediately supply pictorial evidence to members of the public.

“We wish to state clearly to the public and INEC that Igini has, by his actions, declared himself an obstacle to a free and fair election in Edo State.”

But a shocked Igini denied the allegations, dismissing them as bare-faced lies and outright fabrications.

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Igini told journalists that he had attended a friend’s mother’s burial at Issele-Uku in Delta last Friday with two others.

He said: “We (Igini and the two other persons) left the burial for Benin on Sunday and stopped over at Protea Hotel, Benin to have lunch with full security escorts that accompanied me on the trip.

“Thereafter, I went to see my uncle, Prof. Andrew Onokeroraye, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), who has just turned 76 ‎and I finally left Benin for Lagos on Wednesday, after seeing my other relatives in Benin.

“How would it have been possible for me to see Governor Obaseki on Thursday, while I was in Lagos, and I am still in Lagos?

“Since Obaseki became governor, I have never seen him once. I have‎ never met with him. This is shameful and embarrassing.

“I met Ojezua during my send-off party in Benin, after my tenure as REC in Edo State after the 2015 general election, where he and another chairman (of a political party) testified to my integrity.

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“As a REC of INEC, who has always frowned on electoral misconduct and earlier recommended errant staff for punishment, I should not be seen to engage in misconduct.

“How can I recruit ad hoc staff for an election in Edo State, which I am not officially involved in? Is this the level to which our integrity has sunk?

Meanwhile, the Edo State Campaign Council of the PDP has reacted to the allegations, saying it has no power over the appointment of a Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State by INEC.

Chairman of Edo PDP Campaign, Mr Dan Orbih in a statement said, “As the commission responsible for election management, INEC will take responsibility for successes of elections and of course its failures.

“We are only interested in INEC conducting free, fair, credible and transparent elections. Expectedly, we are watching with keen interest steps that are taken by INEC in preparation for the election.

“The elections are just a few weeks away and our candidate has been received with enthusiasm in all 126 wards so far visited. In all stops, he has preached non-violence, compliance of Covid-19 regulations and of course his achievements and further development strides planned.

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“Edo people must not be scared or intimidated by the narrative of violence our opponents are spreading.

“We hereby encourage all Edo people to come out en mass to vote for Governor Obaseki and PDP on Election Day, 19th of September, 2020.”

But BIGPEN reports that the court recognized APC chairman in the state, Anslem Ojesua has distance himself from the report credited to Imuse, urging the general public to ignore the claims credited to ‘one Col Imuse’ whom he said has been posing as chairman of the party in the state.

Specifically, Ojesua said that he has been inundated by calls and messages from concerns citizens about the claims of Imuse who he said has been parading himself as chairman of the state whereas “there is a subsisting judgement of a competent court that declared him (Ojesua) as authentic chairman of APC in Edo state”.

A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Osa Nehikhare, reads; “In the last few days, I have been receiving calls from journalists to react to statements credited to one Col Imuse (rtd) who is posing as the state chairman of APC in Edo state.

“I wish to state categorically that hence forth, I don’t want to be called to react to statements made by an impostor. There is a judgement of a competent court that decided that the authentic chairman of APC Edo state is Barr. Anslem Ojesua.

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“I don’t want to be used to validate or enable an obvious impostor who now makes up stories so that he can be seen to be acting the part of chairman of a party.

“So that we all may not run foul of the law, I advice that Col Imuse’s rantings are ignored and not taken seriously as they amount to the rantings of a man desperately seeking attention”.

(This story was refiled to fix typo in headline and to reflect current situation)