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The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed claims that the party plans to use Vice President Kashim Shettima and other top government officials to rig the September 21 governorship election in the state.
Naija News reported that a member of Edo Integrity Group, Prince Emmanuel Odigie, had alleged that the party is planning to manipulate the upcoming governorship election, using Shettima, Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Odigie made this known during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, stating that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the purported plan and will be on holiday during the September election.
In a statement on Saturday, the Director of Publicity for the APC Edo Governorship Campaign Council, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, described the allegation as baseless.
Omo-Ojo expressed concern about the inflammatory and inciting language used by Odigie in the interview.
He, therefore, called for a thorough investigation of all the allegations made by Odigie against Tinubu, Shettima, and other government officials.
The statement read, “The All Progressives Congress in Edo State has reviewed the diatribes of the rabble-rouser and jobless Prince Emmanuel Odigie, whose known job experience can be attested to by the victims of his trade.
“Our party, and indeed Nigerians, are concerned about the highly inflammatory and inciting words used by Odigie in his interview with Arise Television on Thursday, August 15, 2024, especially his call for President Bola Tinubu to be aware of people calling for a military takeover.
“People are calling for the military, and people are plotting how to truncate democracy. President Tinubu must be careful.’ These were the exact words used by Odigie, who, from his activities so far, is obviously a security risk to our nation.
“Nigerians are also concerned about the reckless, heinous plan by Odigie and his group to discredit the yet-to-be-held September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
“More worrisome is the allegation that the Presidency has concluded plans to rig the election in favour of Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“Like a fly destined to follow a corpse into the grave, Odigie told his bewildered audience that members of a so-called integrity group were present at every meeting where these plans were made.
“In light of the danger that Mr Emmanuel Odigie has become, the APC and indeed Nigerians are requesting a thorough investigation of all his allegations, including those he made against the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Inspector General of Police.
“The arrest and prosecution of Emmanuel Odigie will thwart whatever plans his integrity group has put in place to destabilise Nigeria. It will go a long way to ensuring the sanctity of the ballot box in Nigeria, including the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.”
Rachel Okporu is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with years of experience in the industry. She is a graduate of Linguistics and Communication Studies. Likes surfing the Internet and making new friends.
