Thirty-Five days to the September 21 governorship election, two major players in the exercise, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been at loggerheads over alleged plots and counterplots to compromise the election in their favour.
The PDP in a statement called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, and the State’s Commissioner of Police to look into the case of some suspected “rogue policemen” from the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja who the party alleged may have been paid huge sums by the APC to harass, attack and kidnap PDP chieftains across the three (3) senatorial districts of the State.
On its part, the APC called for the arrest of Mr Emmanuel Odigie and investigate his claim on national television that people are calling for the military to take over the government and his claims that he was aware of plans by the federal government using the Vice President, the Senate President and the Chief of Staff to the president to compromise the Edo election in favour of the APC.
In a statement by the Deputy Director General for Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Council, Rev. Olu Martins alleged that the police officers were led by CSP Ibrahim Angbasa and that they have been operating outside the scope of their job, carrying AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, harassing and arresting PDP chieftains across the State.
Part of the statement reads: “The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, and the State’s Commissioner of Police to look into the case of some suspected rogue policemen from the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja who are believed to have been paid huge sums by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to harass, attack and kidnap PDP chieftains across the three (3) senatorial districts of the State.
“These suspected rogue mufti-wearing police officers led by CSP Ibrahim Angbasa , have been operating outside the scope of their job, carrying AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, harassing and arresting PDP chieftains across the State.
“Since they began their sinister operations, they have arrested Hon. Kingsley Osahon, the Counselor Representing Ward 10, in Esan North East Local Government Area of the State, and a few other people who we currently don’t have their details.”
Olu Martins continued: “We are also aware that they have a long list of major PDP chieftains across the State’s three senatorial districts who they are planning to abduct for the political purpose of weakening the PDP ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for September 21, 2024.
“Some names believed to be on this list include the Chairman of Esan North East Local Government Area (LGA), Dr. Kelly Inedegbor, among others, whose identities have yet to be confirmed.
On its part, the APC in a statement by Director of Publicity, APC Edo Governorship Campaign Council, Comrade Orobosa Omo-Ojo said the and Nigerians were concerned about the highly inflammable and inciting words that Odigie used in his interview with Arise Television on Thursday August 15, 2024, especially his call for the military to take over government from a democratically elected Federal Government of Nigeria.
