*Vows to defend party’s votes ‘with our blood’
By Folorunso Alagbede, in Abuja
Ahead of the forthcoming Governorship election in Edo State, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for the immediately redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police CP, Nemo Edwin-Iwo in order to guarantee confidence, peace and security during election.
The PDP similarly demanded the immediate redeployment of the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) Dr. Anugbum Onuoha from the State especially now that people “are already agitated against his obnoxious appointment”.
The acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum made these demands at a press conference addressed in Abuja Thursday which had all the members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party in attendance.
The demands, Damagum maintained, are necessary not only to guarantee a credible governorship election in Edo State but also to “avert the ugly scenario witnessed in the 2023 Adamawa State Governorship election where a biased Resident Electoral Commissioner and other INEC officials nearly lost their lives in the hands of agitated electorate”.
According to the acting National Chairman of the PDP, “The IGP must recognize his duty to the Nigerian people, the Constitution and the sustenance of peace and security in Edo State and the entire nation.
“The IGP should immediately redeploy the Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Nemo Edwin-Iwo so as to guarantee confidence, peace and security during the Edo State governorship election.
“The IGP should immediately release of all members of the PDP being detained by the Police.
“The IGP should desist from interfering in the activities of Edo State Security Corps, a body lawfully established under the law.
“The PDP demands that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately redeploys the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Anugbum Onuoha from the State especially now that people are already agitated against this obnoxious appointment.
“This is not only to guarantee a credible governorship election in Edo State but also to avert the ugly scenario witnessed in the 2023 Adamawa State Governorship election where a biased Resident Electoral Commissioner and other INEC officials nearly lost their lives in the hands of agitated electorate.
“The PDP salutes the courage of the people of Edo State and urges them to remain vigilant and at alert to defend democracy and defend their votes at the Saturday, September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election
“Edo State people are assured that the PDP will be with them in their desire to ensure that their Will as expressed at the poll is not subverted”, the party said.
Responding to a question on why the PDP and its candidate refused to sign the peace accord organized by the General Abdusalami Abubakar, rtd, led National Peace Committee in Benin, the state capital on Thursday, the PDP acting National Chairman said, “As regards to the signing of the peace accord, nobody is running away from his responsibility, rather we are pointing to Nigerians that there is something cooking by this APC led administration under the watch of police that are being paid with tax payers money.
“Secondly, we are going to participate (in the election). We will come out en mass, and we will defend our votes with our blood. Let them be very, very clear about that.
“We could not sign, we could not be part of that because we gave a condition, and it is their responsibility to make sure that these conditions are met, where they arbitrarily arrest the members of only one particular party.
“Then that means that there is something you do not know. So what peace accord are we going to sign for?, he queried.
