July 16: ‘PDP’ll Resist Antics Of APC To Win Osun Guber Poll’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has uncovered attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the forthcoming Osun governorship election.
The party raised the alarm in a statement, signed by the Chairman, PDP Osun State Caretaker Committee, Dr. Adekunle Akindele, yesterday, in Osogbo, the state capital.
The statement read, “It has come to the notice of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the varying mechanisms, antics and orchestrated plans of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause mayhem before, during and after the July 16 gubernatorial election in Osun State, simply because of the loss in popularity of the outgoing Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
“For instance, a PDP member in Ward 04, Osogbo Local Government, Mr Akeem Adejumobi was on Wednesday evening, beaten and wounded to a pulp, by APC thugs at Idi-Seke area of the state capital, only for supporting the candidate of his party, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke.
“Rising from a meeting held in Lagos two days ago, the ruling APC has concluded arrangements and plans with all the chairmen of various local governments in Lagos to collaborate with their counterparts in Osun State with a view to bringing in their members in Lagos into Osun State as voters. It is laughable that the drowning APC has recognised its weakness in Osun State.
“As if that is not enough, APC has been running helter-skelter from pillar to posts to get tags for fake observers who will monitor the election, doing the bidding of the ruling APC against the true reflection of happenings during the election.
“Also, unspecified number of buses have been booked secretly by the APC to bring in thugs and miscreants primarily to snatch ballot boxes in the course of the forthcoming polls.
“Moreover, the APC in the helms of affairs is making frantic efforts to get “Amotekun” uniforms and give to their boys who will supervise ballot box snatching and stuffing on the Election Day. This is highly condemnable as Amotekun Security Network cannot be said to be performing the roles of the Police or any other law enforcement agency to supervise elections in Nigeria.
“Less than a month to the July 16, the ruling party has also imported some thugs from Niger Delta with fake Police and Army uniforms to harass and intimidate genuine voters during the election process.
“Moreover, we have it on good authority that a Senior Special Adviser to former governor of Osun State has been commissioned to secure hotels and other means of lodging to accommodate the people who are coming into Osun State to vote for APC, from other States of the country.
“Also, a former Commissioner of Police, who is now the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Oyetola has been mandated by the APC to supervise the unlawful arrest and intimidation of the PDP chieftains, leaders and members across the 30 local governments including Area office, Modakeke, before, during and after the Election Day. The S.A. who is not an indigene of Osun State, has been given the hatchet job based on her influence in the Police hierarchy.
“Without mincing words, the sinking party (APC), because of its rejection by the electorates, is bending over backwards, putting diverse strategies in motion to cause chaos at all PDP strongholds in Osogbo, Ede, Ejigbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, Ikirun, Iwo, Ila-Orangun and across every nook and cranny of Osun State.
“In view of the foregoing, one begins to wonder why the APC is hell-bent to perpetuate itself in power at all costs without showing an iota of respect for free, fair and credible election in the July 16 governorship election. If the party and its candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola have performed well, why running away from credible election?
“As lovers of peace, credible polls and democratic government, we urge President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, Director of DSS, Nigerian Army, other law enforcement agencies and by extension, the international community to warn the ruling APC now before it is too late. This is because the PDP and the entire masses of Osun State will resist the ruling party in its entirety, so that the strong political will of the people will be established and maintained”.