The Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dan Orbih has denied claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of arrests of suspected militants brought into the state to work for the PDP during the governorship election.
Reports say the ruling party had claimed that the militants were arrested by men of the Edo Police Command.
Mr Orbih made the denial of the claims during a press conference on Wednesday held at the party secretariat in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Edo State, Mr Olafimihan Adeoye, said the suspects in question were arrested for crimes not in any way connected with politics.
The election originally scheduled to hold on September 10 was shifted to September 28 by the electoral body after security agencies advised it to shift the election date, giving security reasons.
Before the election was shifted, the APC published a statement where it claimed that the PDP had planned to unleash violence and cause confusion in the state during the governorship election.
The party, which is holding power in the state, claims that the plan would pave way for the opposition to rig the governorship election scheduled for September 10.
Militants From Delta
A statement by the party said “no less than 500 militants from Delta are being mobilised to critical areas of Edo State to carry out this evil plan using the waterways.
“The primary targets are Edo-North using the River Niger to access areas around Agenebode; Edo-South, via the Osse River; and Edo Central, via Ilushi River”.
Citing internal sources within the PDP, the APC also alleged that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the conduct of the elections were being compromised by the PDP with the lure of huge financial rewards should they agree to act out their script to rig the elections.
“In their desperation to seize power at all cost, they have not only perfected plans to usurp the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) across the state but have already started acting it out as we have received reports that some PVCs meant for certain Local Government Areas have been hijacked by PDP thugs.
“We want to use this medium to call on the security agencies in the state, particularly the Nigerian Police Force, to investigate the matter expeditiously and immediately put in place measures to forestall their wicked plans, and maintain peace and order throughout this electioneering period.
“We also call on INEC to carry out due diligence on all its ad-hoc staff and monitor them closely so that those who have been compromised will not be allowed to carry out the PDP’s devious plans,” the statement read.
A ‘Bizarre’
After the security agencies issued security alerts and advised the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state to shift the election, the PDP described the advice as shocking and a ‘bizarre’.
The PDP, which claims to be the strongest opposition in the state, said it was taken aback on this advice, coming a day after President Muhammadu Buhari attended a Mega Rally of the All Progressives Congress in Benin City which was concluded without any hitch.
