Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed allegations by the All Progressives Party (APC) that its agents were pulling down the campaign billboards of the APC governorship candidate for the September 19 election in the state, Osagie-Ize-Iyamu. In a statement made available to TheNiche, PDP absolved itself and the state government of the action, describing it as condemnable. It however asked APC to look inwards in getting to the roots of the action. The statement reads:
“In a desperate attempt to change the narrative, the APC vuvuzelas have gone to town making frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations against the PDP and the State Government over the destruction or damages to their billboards.
“Let me make it categorically clear that PDP or the State Government have no hands in the destruction or damage to billboard posted by APC. We condemn the act!
“However, we advise APC to look inwards as it is common knowledge that the APC is seriously divided, populated by known thugs and brigands in the many factions that exist within it.
“Edo people have not forgotten how they resorted to bombing each other’s residences as they battled for their gubernatorial ticket. Edo people have not forgotten the treachery, blackmail, threats and counter threats employed to arrive at their predetermined candidate.
We are indeed surprised that a party made up of characters that throw bombs at each other at will, shoot at their party members while they are holding meetings, exported to other states to rig elections and is lagging behind in an independent opinion poll it conducted itself would contemplate that PDP or its Government would pay attention to its posters or billboards without messages and want them destroyed or damaged. On the contrary! The quality of the messaging on their billboards exposes APC as empty and having nothing to offer Edo people”.
The statement, signed by Chris Osa Nehikhare, publicity secretary, stressed that PDP and Edo State Government cannot be blackmailed or distracted by the baseless allegations adding that Edo people are too political sophisticated to fall for the scam.
“We will concentrate on our agenda of Resetting Edo for a better and brighter tomorrow and not lose sleep over the ranting of a political ant the APC has become”, it added.