Governor Godwin Obaseki, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was accused by the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, of plotting to rig the forthcoming governorship election, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of being part of them.
The State Chairman of the APC, Col. David Imuse (rtd.), made the allegation while addressing journalists at Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
He said: “On Thursday, the 27th of August, we received reliable information on a secret meeting between Mr. Mike Igini, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (Akwa Ibom State) and Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“Around 3am, Mr. Mike Igini was seen driving into the private residence of Governor Obaseki in the company of two other known allies of the governor, one of whom was identified as Mr. Anselm Ojezua.
“At the meeting, Mr. Mike Igini, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and other top PDP allies designed and examined ways and strategies to rig the outcome of the September 19 governorship election with an exclusive focus on the production of fake ballots and the inducement of recruited INEC ad-hoc staff to aid the success of the rigging plans.”
But reacting to the allegation, the Akwa Ibom State REC, Mr. Mike Igini, described the allegation as “clear bare-faced lies and outright fabrication,” adding, “this is unbelievable, this is shameful.”
Igini explained on phone, that he and two others had attended a close friend’s mother’s burial at Issele-Uku in Delta State last week Friday, wondering, “How is it possible for me to see Obaseki on Thursday while I am in Lagos, and I am still in Lagos?
Similarly, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, dismissed the allegation as “unfounded.”
