Godwin Obaseki
BENIN CITY – EDO State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday accused the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state of planning violence and importing arms to intimidate and harass his supporters as the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election nears.
But in swift reaction, the chairman, Edo State APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki described Obaseki as a confused man and his allegations baseless.
Obaseki, while receiving Muslim leaders at Government House, in Benin City where he made the allegation, however, expressed his readiness to stand with the people, defend their interests and develop the state.
He said: “I am not afraid of any man but God. I know the gang up is to provoke me and my supporters but we will not fall for their tricks as God will help us.
“As I speak to you now, you can’t imagine that Police from Abuja are already in the state and have been paid to arrest our supporters. They have been paid by a billionaire to arrest Peoples Democratic Party, PDP supporters in the state. This billionaire sponsored the attacks on me and other PDP governors at the Palace. This is to tell you the level of corruption and impunity we face.”
He added: “They are planning violence, bringing arms, intimidating our supporters as part of their strategy. They know that if we have a free and fair election, they stand no chance. Their strategy is to continue with their propaganda and lies. They know they don’t have a record of performance; their plan is just to intimidate our supporters and ensure they stay off the polling booth.
“They attacked my supporters and wanted me to react to the attacks. I will not attack them back because as the Chief Security Officer of the state, my responsibility is to maintain peace. We would continue to do that at all costs.
Mayaki in a statement said Obaseki is merely “projecting the criminal plans his divided party, the PDP, are perfecting following the dawning realization that they have been rejected by the people of Edo State on others.
“The APC is the only party campaigning on its documented manifesto because our sole strategy to win the election is by winning the hearts and goodwill of our people through well-thought-out programs and policies that will bring relief and erase the failures of the past four years.
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“Despite spending four years in office, Obaseki has neither achievements nor plans to show. He is campaigning largely on empty rhetorics, revisionism, and shameful blackmail and propaganda.
“Election may be weeks away but the truth has finally dawned on Obaseki. He is on his way to a sound, a comprehensive defeat so like all failures, he is already preparing the grounds for his defeat with false, ridiculous accusations.
“He is also trying to deflect attention while himself and his party, already renowned for violence, continue to ferry thugs and cultists into the State to rig the election. But he will be resisted. Together with our people, we are going to keep watch and ensure the votes to return Obaseki to where he came from are protected and made to count.”
