In a swift riposte, the Edo State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday pointed finger of guilt at the State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, over planned importation of thugs from neighboring States to cause mayhem during the September 10 governorship election.
The party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Nehikhare, said it was surprising that Oshiomhole, whom it had accused before now of plotting to employ the services of militants and thugs during the poll, would turn round to accuse it and some opposition politicians of masterminding the same plot.
According to PDP, “Our attention has been drawn to the remarks made by the governor of Edo State Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on the occasion of the visit by the AIG zone 5 and the Commissioner of Police with other high ranking police officers to the governor, to the effect that he (the governor) has intelligence reports that the opposition party has made arrangement with militants from some neighbhouring states to disrupt the September 10 governorship election in Edo State.
“In actual fact, it’s Governor Adams Oshiomhole that is spoiling for violence! We have announced and drawn the attention of the security services to his many infractions and in his characteristic manner to divert attention from himself, the accused turned round to become the accuser.
“It is on record that renowned Niger Delta Militant, Ayirimi Emami, who is alleged to be helping Oshiomhole recruit ex-militants to perpetuate violence at the forthcoming governorship election was seen today campaigning with the Governor of the outgoing Party in Benin City.”
The PDP said further that “Ayiri as he’s popularly called has been given N240million by Adams Oshiomhole for the dirty job. He is said to have already received the first instalment a few months back when Adams Oshiomhole in company with Philip Shuaibu took Ayiri to pin-point hot locations of the PDP strongholds where violence will be required on the election day. Ayiri was taken yesterday to Egor LGA which is a sure LGA for the PDP and he’s to be taken to the hometown of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and other locations today.
“While we consider this laughable, we wish to point out that this is indeed the sign that the APC with the comrade governor in the lead has stepped up its propaganda machinery to the level of misleading the security agencies and attempting to shift focus from the real culprit which is the APC.
The PDP said that while it joined the governor in calling on the police and other relevant security agencies to be proactive in arresting any security breach that may lead to the disruption of elections in all parts of the state, “we would want to alert these responsible agencies not to be deceived or misled by the APC and the governor to focus needless attention on it (the PDP), which desires a peaceful, free and fair election.”
