Allegation is false, Okowa must go -Oshiomhole boasts
By Onome Oghenetega
Delta State Ethnic Nationalities’ Youths Leaders have accused the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of plotting to use thugs to disrupt and rig the Saturday’s governorship election in the state for the candidate of the APC, Chief Great Ogboru.
The youths leaders said for Oshiomhole to achieve his grand objective, he has recruited suspected political thugs from neighbouring states of Edo, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Anambra to unleash mayhem in notable areas in the state during the elections.
But the APC National Chairman has described the allegation as false and handwork of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state knowing that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa would be defeated in the Saturday’s election by Chief Ogboru of the APC.
Briefing journalists on Thursday in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state, the President of Ijaw Youth Council and President-General, Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, Mr. Pereotubo Roland Oweilaemi aid Oshiomhole’s plans will fail in Delta.
Oweilaemi, who was flanked by the youth presidents of Urhobo, Isoko, Itsekiri and Anioma, warned that the former Edo State governor should stop meddling in the politics of Delta State.
He said, “The State recorded no or little electoral violence during the last exercise which can be attested to its peaceful status. We do expect that the incoming elections will be more peaceful than ever before. Deltans have resolved to play an advanced and civilised politics where peace and harmony is the centre of our ambitions.
“While we are hopeful that Deltans will again go to the polls without let or hindrance to cast their votes for their choice candidates come Saturday the 9th of March, 2019, we are worried that certain elements from neighbouring states want to ferment trouble in the State during the elections in order that their preferred candidates win the elections by any means necessary.
“Prominent among such characters who are boasting that they will do everything necessary to rig the elections and to subvert the will of the people including coming to Delta State on the Election Day to coordinate the activities for his Party, is Comr. Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC.”
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The ethnic youth leaders stated that while they are not against Oshiomhole campaigning for his party and its candidate within the ambit of the law, they would resist any plot to will throw election in the state into violence, adding, “He (Oshiomhole) has a limit in meddling with the affairs of Delta State which is not his State of origin.”
“The Electoral Act, 2010 is very clear on where and how Oshiomhole should conduct himself during the elections. Sections 58, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130 and 131 of the Act did not permit Oshiomhole to be in Delta State on the Election Day.
“We warm him to desist from his desperate act of meddling into Delta State election. The APC National Chairman’s presence in Delta State on the Election Day will be an invitation to anarchy. It will be a recipe for total breakdown of law and order in the State.
“We the Ethnic Nationalities’ Youths Leaders in the State will not fold our arms and allow foreigners to cause an avoidable crisis for us. We will resist Oshiomhole’s desperation to plunge Delta State into a big crisis”, the IYC President stated.
Oweilaemi appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to call the former labour leader to order saying the Federal government should hold Oshiomhole responsible for any act of violence during the election in the state.
“We therefore appeal to President Buhari and people of goodwill to call Adams Oshiomhole to order before things get out of control. Should there be any breakdown of law and order in the State then Nigerians should hold Oshiomhole responsible.
“We also appeal to all members of the various political parties in the State to be law abiding and refrain from acts that will lead to needless hostilities in our dear State. Let us collectively fight against electoral violence of any kind and resist the undue interference by foreigners who are heating up the polity for us.”
However, Oshiomhole while reacting, posited that there was no iota of truth in the allegation by the Delta State ethnic youth leaders, saying that the opposition PDP were afraid that they had lost the election.
The former Edo State governor, who responded through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Simon Ebegbulem, added that he does not believe in thuggery to win election, asserting that APC was fully prepared to defeat PDP in the election.
Oshiomhole’s aide said, “All those who are always mentioning Oshiomhole are those who are scared of his impact since he became the national chairman of APC. He is a man that is so angry with what PDP has done to this country, and he has come with the progressives ideas that will propagate the ideology of the APC. Oshiomhole has never believed in thuggery.
“Oshiomhole is not coming to Delta on Election Day. This is lie by the PDP and those who are scared of Oshiomhole. We have capable men and women in Delta State that will defeat Governor Okowa and enthrone Great Ogboru as the next governor of Delta State.
“Oshiomhole does not need to be in Delta State for APC to defeat Okowa. The people of Delta State are tired of the PDP administration in Delta State and what they have done to the state since 1999. Oshiomhole has told Deltans that APC is bringing good and better governance, and the people of the state have accepted that. Come Saturday, the people of Delta State will vote out Okowa.”
