The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over the plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to allegedly use foreign “election mercenaries” to rig the September 19 Edo governorship election.
The PDP made the allegation in a statement on Friday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
According to the party, the APC is plotting to import election mercenaries as observers to attempt to scare the people of Edo state, suppress them and steal their mandate.
It said that the ruling party has mandated the trio of Governors Ganduje, Hope Uzodinma of Imo state and Yahaya Bello of Kogi State for the job.
The statement read: “Part of APC’s plot is to import election mercenaries as observers to attempt to scare the people of Edo state, suppress them and steal their mandate.
“The PDP and indeed, the people of Edo state are already aware that the trio were selected by the APC to lead its campaign so as to force a combined formula of Kano and Kogi electoral violence as well as Imo state mandate robbery to subvert the will of the people of Edo state in the governorship election.
“It is however not surprising that such is the drift of the APC campaign, given that it has neither messages nor plans for the people of Edo state.
“Whereas our candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, enjoys the overwhelming support of the Edo people due to his enthusing track record of personal character and performance in office for which even APC leaders have praises for him, the APC candidate has nothing to present to the people.”