The All Progressives Congress (APC) is been accused of orchestrating a plan to undermine the integrity of the upcoming governorship elections in Edo State.
The revelation comes on the heels of internal party polling that reportedly shows the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, leading with a commanding 61% over APC’s Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Sources indicate that the APC convened an emergency meeting yesterday in Benin City, where party leaders expressed grave concerns about their candidate’s prospects.
Factors contributing to this unease include the recent increase in fuel prices, escalating food costs, and notable dissent within the party ranks, which has kept many influential leaders away from the campaign trail.
Additionally, comments from prominent figures like Sen. Adams Oshiomhole have reportedly alienated potential voters.
During the meeting, a controversial strategy was proposed: to redirect campaign funds towards vote-buying efforts rather than traditional campaigning.
Insiders allege that the party is also planning to collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) — a crucial component intended to ensure a transparent electoral process.
The purported plan involves pre-loading BVAS machines with inflated accreditation and vote counts in select APC strongholds, particularly in Edo North.
However, a chieftain of the Labour Party, Comrade Timothy Enahoro stated that opposition Party operatives are being trained to demand that machines display zero counts before voting begins but feared they could be met with resistance from an expectedly heavy police presence and local thugs.
Moreover, compromised presiding officers from INEC are reportedly prepared to invoke a familiar excuse used in previous elections, claiming “technical glitches” if questioned about the integrity of the vote uploads.
Critics point out that similar tactics were employed during the controversial 2023 presidential elections and the governorship election in Kogi State.
