The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Obaseki/Shaibu Campaign Council, says it has uncovered a clandestine plans by the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Dr. Mustapha Leeky to rig the September 19 governorship election in Edo state for the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
In a press statement issued on Friday by the Head of Publicity of the state campaign council and Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, Leeky was alleged to be acting the script of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, towards subverting the will of the Edo electorate in the September 19, 2020 governorship election.
According to the statement; “Dr. Leeky, it has been gathered, has skewed the process to ensure it favors one party, whereby the final list released for the training of the adhoc staff has a ratio of 10:1, between the APC and all other parties”.
He said the Polling Officers (PO), who are supposed to be serving National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members have been changed and Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu are nominating people, most of whom are not youth corps members, to fill these positions to actualize their plans to rig the election.
The party in the statement also alleged that the Supervisory Polling Officers are also being engaged by Dr. Leeky to serve the interest of the APC as while as the Collation Officers (CO) whose appointment is being influenced by the INEC Commissioner.
The statement further stressed that “Dr. Leeky, we have gathered, is working within the INEC to get its officials to cheat the system”. It is unfortunate that the APC has lost the hope of getting elected through the ballot and are working with Dr. Leeky and others in the INEC to subvert the will of the people”.
“While we have confidence in the INEC as an institution, we are calling on them to rein in Dr. Leeky and his likes, in order to have an election that would uphold the will of the people and one that they can be proud of”.
“We hereby call on the INEC leadership to review the process of selecting these officials and request that Dr. Leeky excuse himself from the process as his activities have been revealed to be threatening the integrity of the process, which will taint the outcome of the election”.