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PDP in possession of result sheets — Obaseki petitions INEC THE ruling APC and PDP were, weekend, locked in allegations and counter-allegations against each other over moves to rig the Wednesday governorship election and urged the security agencies to up their game to ensure credible and peaceful poll. By Simon Ebegbulem GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, alleging that the PDP is in possession of some result sheets with a view to rig the September 28 election. He also alleged of plots by PDP to get its members to be accredited as observers on Election Day, warning that the APC will not tolerate any attempt to cause confusion that may enable the PDP to rig the election. Obaseki, who made the allegations in chat with journalists, weekend, expressed confidence in the ability of the INEC to conduct a free and fair election, however, said the PDP “because they know they will lose are creating confusion to discredit the system and the process but it will be resisted.” “We have sent petitions to INEC about the information we have that PDP members are being accredited as observers and it is an issue that we expect them to look into. Security situation We have also informed them that from our own investigation the PDP has access to some result sheets and we have asked them to investigate. I don’t believe that the INEC is as porous as being alleged,” he added. Commenting on the security situation, Obaseki said: “We are quite impressed; we are quite pleased. The intelligence service has been quite responsive as is evidenced by the arrests, which have been recorded. We have no reason to doubt that the security will continue to be stepped up because there is enough intelligence as to what is being planned and what is going on. The very interesting thing about the opposition party is that whatever they plan just leaks from their own camp. “It is like as they are planning, they are coming to tell us what they are planning. Last week, they had a meeting and part of the strategy was to attack my convoy. I heard that last week and as at today, more information has come in as to the exact places. Obaseki “For Edo people, over the last one year, I have traversed the entire state, I have met with people, citizens from all over the state and I am abreast of our challenges, I am aware of the successes we have attained but more importantly, the amount of work that still needs to be done. In all my campaigns and travels, what I see is the amount of work and the challenges ahead of us. But more importantly the opportunities and that has made me re-dedicate myself to this cause that as a people even though we are facing severe challenges at this point in time, the opportunities ahead of us are enormous and mind boggling. “And that there is hope for Edo state and hope for Nigeria and that to realise this hope, we have to hug and hold democracy tight and ensure that we do not, no matter the provocation, do things or take steps that will threaten our democracy in any way. And that our redemption lies in us and in us sustaining democracy. ‘’So, all the anti-democratic tendencies we see today paraded particularly by the opposition party should not deter us. We should not meet violence with violence; violence will only derail our democracy.’’ APC, Police, INEC conniving to rig poll — PDP By Gabriel Enogholase EDO State chapter of the PDP has raised an alarm over alleged plans by the APC and the Edo State Government in alliance with the Police and INEC to rig the governorship election. The party, at a press conference in Benin, yesterday, by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said that with just three days to the election, more disturbing facts and information were emerging that the state government wants to deny the people the right to vote for the PDP candidate. He said: “Very credible information reaching us says that Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his APC have concluded arrangements to thumb print fake ballot papers on Monday (26/9/2016) at Ibillo, Akoko Edo local government area, Edo North, and then transport the thumb printed fake ballot papers to their areas of weakness. Thereafter, they will pretend to expose the perpetrators as PDP supporters. This “show” becomes the excuse to crackdown on PDP foot soldiers and undertake massive arrest of PDP staunch supporters. To give credence to the “show” they will plant fake PVC in the homes of our people. At this juncture, we advice that everyone must be vigilant and on alert till elections are over. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu “They are planning to destabilise the election in Uromi, Ovia and parts of Oredo in order to provoke inconclusive elections in their areas of weakness. To achieve this, they have recruited a General Collins who APC paraded in a press conference on Friday and he boastfully announced the presence of his co-generals who, including himself, have no business in Edo but to foment trouble. “We formally requested for a meeting with staff (Local Government Collation Officers, Returning Officer for the State, Staff in charge of card readers, E-Collation Officers and members of the ICT team) of INEC assigned to the state to conduct the elections in Edo State. But that meeting never took place. “We requested the names and identities of these staff to be made public but again we were denied. However Information available to us is that INEC has granted requests made by the All Progressive Congress for a similar meeting with the above mentioned staff. “We are also reliably informed that members of APC have been granted remote access to INEC servers and INEC e-collation platforms. We are informed that this was done in furtherance of a plan by certain officials of INEC to grant APC real time access to INEC’s e-collation platforms in a bid to enable them manipulate results on the field at polling stations where they are losing elections or disrupt the electoral process at such locations.“ We also requested for a meeting with senior officers of the Nigerian Police Force assigned to provide security for the state during the elections, again, we were denied. Instead, our members are harassed, intimidated and arrested on trumped up charges“ But we are reliably informed that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were granted a similar meeting with these officers and members of APC led by Governor Adams Oshiomole met with these officers in a bid to influence postings of officers to areas of the state in a manner that will favour their party.” Nehikhare also alleged that in Owan West local government area, one Reginald Okun had been boasting that the he has been directed by his party to compile names of PDP leaders to be given to DCP Ahmed Bello for harassment, intimidation and arrest. The PDP scribe also alleged that the said Okun claimed to have deployed cultists to the local government, who are harassing PDP supporters and in some cases maiming them, citing the case of one of its agents who had three of his fingers cut off and is presently in an intensive care unit in the hospital. He also said that on Saturday night, on the alleged instruction of the governor, Police entered Okpella with four trucks to arrest some PDP members, adding, “this type of impunity must stop and be condemned by all as this behaviour negates the tenets of free, fair and transparent elections”. DENIALS We didn’t grant APC access to servers, others — INEC The INEC Assistant Director in-charge of Public Relations, Mrs. Priscilla Sule- Imuodu denied that INEC had granted APC access to its servers and e-collation centre. She said:” I advised them to leave INEC alone and they should the remaining 24 hours to campaign and shore up their voters.” APC State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Godwin Erhahon in his reaction to the allegations simply said: “The APC as a party is not privy to the planned electoral malpractice. If they have any special person working towards that, they should report to the appropriate security agencies” We didn’t hold meetings with APC leaders However, in their separate reactions, both the Edo state Police Command and INEC have denied the PDP’s allegations against them. The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Theodore Okafor, said: “If they believe that what they are saying is true and can substantiate it, they know what to do. They should report to the police, who know what to do. I do not know of any meeting the police held with APC leaders, I am not aware of it.”