THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday alleged that the redeployment of the state Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Adeyinka Fasiu Ayinla was politically motivated.
The party alleges that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) influenced the posting to pave way for the perfection of their alleged rigging plan.
A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare said the APC is desperate about winning the election and has resorted to underhand tactics.
He said “The latest of such evil plots of the APC to win the election through foul and unfair means is the redeployment of Mr Ayinla as the commandant of the NSCDC. The posting by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is politically motivated and a plot to rig the governorship election.”
But in a reaction, the Chairman, APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki described the allegation as an indication that PDP wanted to rig “Otherwise why should they be complaining of deployment”
Nehikhare said “The new state commandant is a lackey of a leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and has worked closely with him in the past. Findings also showed that the new Edo NSCDC head is of a rank that is above his new posting as state commandant.
“What then could make Ogbeni Aregbesola, himself Tinubu’s man Friday, post Ayinla to Edo? We are convinced that Mr Ayinla may have been posted to Edo to do dirty jobs for the APC.
“Only this week, Nigerians watched a short video of a former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, telling the Chief of Staff to President Buhari to arrestsome people. We had previously watched with disdain how the candidate of APC was inciting and motivating thugs that referred to themselves as lions and tigers to cause disruption and maximum carnage on Election Day. Today, they are posting a personal nominee of Tinubu to superintend elections in Edo.
“With the turn of events and revelations, we are skeptical of the plans the APC led federal government has for INEC, Police and other security agencies.
Mayaki in his reaction said: “As a two-term Governor of Edo State and a prominent national political figure and leader, it goes without saying that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a concerned stakeholder in matters involving Edo State, especially an important election where the people have to make a choice between a failed incumbent and a prepared challenger who has, thus far, ran an admirable campaign focused on his documented manifesto dubbed the SIMPLE agenda.
“Besides, the call for non-violence and the peaceful conduct of any election is a patriotic and responsible demand that could be made by any Nigerian, whether his rank high or low, and whether or not he/she has a professed political leaning or not.
“Local and international agencies, independent monitoring groups, and other civil society organizations have all made similar requests of adequate security during the election and after to the IG of Police and the Presidency because they understand the importance of protecting the electorates and the integrity of elections from desperate political actors like the Edo PDP’s candidate who, only days ago, led thugs to the Edo Assembly complex to vandalize the building and deny access to duly elected members.”
