By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday declared its readiness for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
Edo State off-season election will hold on September 19 while that of Ondo will hold on October.
While declaring its readiness, the party said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not ready for the governorship polls, the reason it claimed, it has resorted to making allegations.
The ruling party said the PDP was accusing it of its stock-in-trade, which is interference in electoral operations.
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in a statement in Abuja told PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus that “the APC has not copied such undemocratic and ignoble practice.”
Nabeba said the opposition was only accusing the APC of what it was noted for doing in the past elections.
The ruling party argued it has no control over election management, maintaining that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the only statutory body saddled to conduct election.
The statement which was sent to TheNiche reads:
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not prepared for the forthcoming Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections and has resorted to spinning tired conspiracies about a purported inaudible tape and tales of a planned postponement of the elections.
The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) is an independent election management body with equally independent operations. Hence, the APC being a political party, is not an electoral body and cannot speak on a purported planned postponement or otherwise. Evidently, it was the PDP’s practice to interfere in INEC’s operations. The APC has not copied such undemocratic and ignoble practice.
For us in the APC, if the elections are held today, we are ready and confident of victory based on our visible pro-people and development track records and progressive plans for the good people of Edo and Ondo states.
Our worry is the PDP’s threat of violence in the lead-up to the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections as echoed by the recent Amnesty International report and other well-meaning concerns. As always, the PDP has absolutely nothing to campaign on and has resorted to spreading fear.
We will continue to reiterate that no life is worth the inordinate ambition of any partisan. The forthcoming elections must be peaceful, free, fair and credible. Votes must count and the wish of the electorate must prevail on who governs them.
We call on our state institutions particularly INEC, the Judiciary and our security services not to be distracted by the PDP’s usual manipulative and disruptive antics and concentrate on protecting our hard fought and cherished democracy.
