PDP promotes, celebrates rigging --Oshiomhole





Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Tuesday said he had reported the excesses of the Peoples Democratic Party leaders, especially as regards the recent local government elections in the state, to the party's leader, President Goodluck Jonathan.

The governor said the state administration had dismantled the "PDP rigging machine" in the state.

Oshiomhole spoke with State House correspondents shortly after holding a closed-door session with the President on the furore generated by the council poll.

"Edo people are not fools. How will they vote for rogues? People, whose philosophy is: share the money. Those days have gone. All they (PDP leaders) tried to do in this election is clear and that is what I have come to tell the President; that they tried to create the impression of a state that has gone out of control -- to try to use some criminals, armed gangs to create trouble here and there and the police were looking the other way," the governor said.

Oshiomhole alleged that the PDP leaders were carrying out their alleged nefarious activities in connivance with the police. He said he had lost out with the security agency (the police) after he had altercations with them over the death of his Principle private Secretary and the shoddy manner the case was investigated.

He however said he did not need to be a friend of the police once the people of the state love him.

"I don't need to be the best friend of Police. What I need is to be loved and appreciated by Edo people, and once Edo people are on, no force, external to Edo, can rig election, and so, that is what has happened," he said.

Oshiomhole said it was wrong for PDP leaders to complain about the council election, saying no weight should be attached to a complaint by an armed robber that he was robbed.

He said, "If an armed robber is complaining of being robbed, it is your choice as to how much weight to place on his complaints. The history of rigging elections in Nigeria is as old as PDP. They have lived on it, they have perpetrated it, they have deepened it, have feasted on it and even celebrate it.

"I thank God that he has used me and other patriotic people to dismantle PDP rigging machine in Edo State and you recall that last July 16, 2012, I contested elections in Edo state and won all the 18 local government areas including Chief Tony Anenih's local government. I defeated him in his local government, even his ward.

"Onolemenen, the Minister of Works, I defeated him in his polling booth and ward. Honourable Tula, member of the House of Reps and former speaker of Edo state, I defeated him in his ward and unit.

"Where are the PDP guys? This is the heart of the PDP godfathers. So, God has used us to dismantle, if it is evil, it can't stand. Now this was July 14, after the election, more and more people decamped from PDP because they were completely demoralised, the chief legal coordinator of the PDP candidate decamped to join ACN a month ago, the chief agent of the PDP governorship candidate at INEC decamped to join ACN and it is instructive what they said."

The governor said the only reason it could be an issue that the state conducted council elections with results following the pattern of the last governorship election was because he had chosen to fight on the side of democracy.

He said when some of the politicians, who are feasting on the system today, were courting the military, he and some others were on the street demanding democracy.



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