The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has said he was not happy with the delay in delivering electoral materials for the election.
Speaking with reporters after casting his vote in his ward, Ward 1, PU 3, Ewohimi, Esan South East LGA, the PDP candidate said the Independent National Electoral Commission had all the time to prepare for the election.
He said, “I am not happy with the process that delayed the delivery of the materials. This is a single-state election. INEC has all the time to prepare.
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“We are not comfortable with the little shenanigans that are going on. There are rumours that some people in the opposition are trying to undermine the election process. Many of them have been caught with …
“The worst is that they go round trying to buy votes. They buy votes for 15-20 thousand. They are trying everything to subvert the process. We will win this election by a landslide and move our state forward by God’s grace. If there is anybody at home, please come out and cast your vote.
“Nigerian military has made me proud. They have taken charge and have shown great responsibility. They have shown that they can protect the people, and I am extremely proud. We are not worried. We have spent ten months talking to people, telling them what we will do for them if they elect us. The people believed us and have accepted us all over the state. I don’t know what magic anybody will perform.
“The kind of numbers I am hearing from Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South overwhelms me. You know, in Nigeria, funny things happen. I don’t know the magic anybody wants to perform. I believe INEC to deliver free and fair election until they prove otherwise. We will win hands down in this election.”
Speaking further, Ighodalo claimed that his party members are being oppressed and intimidated by the Nigeria Police Force. We are not happy about a few ongoing issues in some places, but we will remain confident. One of our supporters was arrested at Uromi by some people with security outfits.
“No one should carry a gun into a polling unit. It’s against the law. It’s against the regulation. You see people behave indiscriminately, oppressing and trying to intimidate our folks. It won’t happen. We can’t be intimidated.
“How come only PDP supporters have been arrested? Every day, you see APC supporters doing imaginable things. But nobody arrests them. Nobody investigates them.
“The person arrested was at his polling unit trying to be accredited. He was queuing up, trying to be accredited. Authorities should create a free and fair playing field. This is getting too much, particularly from the Police Force”.
