PDP accuses Edo APC of mobilizing thugs to destabilize S/South Governorship polls

 The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) in Edo State has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of mobilising youths in the state to work as thugs in some Niger Delta states during Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Director General of the Edo State branch of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organization, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who raised the alarm in a chat with newsmen, said the recruited youths were kept at the residence of an APC leader in Benin City.

Ize-Iyamu listed Delta, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States as the targeted states.

He said information at his disposal indicated that the youths would be deployed to the states between Thursday and Friday to assist in rigging and disrupting the polls in the opposition party’s stronghold.

The former PDP governorship candidate however said the party would not watch helplessly for the thugs to disrupt what was supposed to be a peaceful election.

He said, “The thugs are being recruited and camped in the uptown residence of a top APC leader for onward deployment to Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states to rig next Saturday’s election. The different security agencies must do something about the situation. We are not going to watch helplessly as some political thugs over run us.”

State Chairman of the APC, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, who denied the allegations said only Pastor Ize-Iyamu knew how to recruit thugs.

“We are busy preparing for our elections in Edo State. We have no problems with other states.

“Only he knows how to carry out such contract. We have no interest in what is happening in other states.”