A purported consultant to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nelson Aideyan has denied allegations by officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of printing party agents’ cards to rig the forthcoming Edo state governorship elections in favour of the incumbent governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
The media officer to Mr Aideyan, Okomayin Pius Alao said in a statement in Benin City that the allegation which was widely publicised to both the print and electronic media on June 26, 2012, sounded like the cry of a drowning man.
He said the “PDP having seen its doom at the July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo State, had resorted to concocting frivolous stories aimed at tarnishing the personality and integrity of illustrious Edo State citizens like Mr. Nelson Aideyan” who he described as a private citizen who has no personal interest in any of the political parties and is not a politician.
Mr Orbih had alleged that Mr Aideyan is an INEC consultant who was brought into Edo State by INEC to rig the forthcoming July 14, 2012 governorship election in favour of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and that he collected $40, 000 from the Governor Oshiomhole to achieve this purpose.
Meanwhile, counsel to Mr Aideyan, O.R. Adisa, has demanded a public and unequivocal apology in both the print and electronic media from the PDP and its state chairman within 48 hours.
The lawyer warned that failure to fully comply will leave them with no option than to take appropriate legal actions against the person of Mr Orbih and his party, including forwarding a petition to the appropriate authorities.
The statement reads:
It has come to the notice of our Client that the chairman of PDP, Edo State Chapter, Chief Dan Orbih, issued a press release on NTA Benin on 25th, June 2012 which has since been reported in various print and electronic media including, ITV Benin, Channels TV, Silverbird TV and National Mirror Newspaper of 26th June, 2012. In his press statement he alleged the following:
1. That Our Client is an INEC Consultant who has been brought into Edo State by INEC to rig the forth coming July 14th 2012 gubernatorial election in favour of ACN.
2. That the Comrade Governor has given our Client between Forty Thousand ($40,000) to Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars ($230,000 .00) to carry out the rigging.
3. That the comrade Governor and his party ACN have put our client in a guest house in Benin where he’s perfecting the work for ACN.
4. That our Client is presently printing voting cards tags to be used by ACN supporters in the forth coming election.
5. That our client has a close relationship with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and therefore will be influencing the forthcoming election in favour of ACN.
Chief Dan Orbih further alleged that our Client has been seen in various fora with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Director General of Governor Oshiomhole’s campaign in Edo State and consequently issued our Client a threat and to leave Edo State within a few days.
We have our client‘s instruction to react to the above allegation as follows:
First and foremost, the allegations by PDP Edo State and its chairman are totally untrue and unfounded. Our Client is an indigene of Edo State who has the inalienable constitutional right to reside anywhere in Nigeria, especially in Edo State, where he was born and brought up. Our Client therefore considers the ultimatum as a threat to his life and person.
Furthermore, our Client is not connected in any way whatsoever, with the July 14th Governorship election. He has also not been consulted by INEC or any body or person whatsoever to act on its/his behalf with respect to the forth coming Governorship election. In addition he is not a Politician.
Our Client therefore considers the publication on both the electronic and print media by the PDP Edo State Chapter and its State Chairman, as libelous and slanderous and a calculated attempt at disparaging his personality and bringing him to public ridicule and odium.
As a result of this untoward publication our Client has been receiving strange calls from unknown persons threatening his life.
Consequently, we have our Client’s instruction to demand a public and unequivocal apology in both the print and electronic media from the PDP and its state Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, within 48hrs from this publication. Failure to fully comply will leave us with no option than to take the appropriate legal actions against the person of Chief Dan Orbih and his party, including forwarding a petition to the appropriate authorities.
A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE
