By Lucky Isibor
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described all the litigations against its governorship candidate in the Edo 2024 governorship election, Asurinmen Ighodalo (Esq) as frivolous and meant to distract the party and its candidate, adding that they’ll fail as they are already coasting home to victory.
In a press release by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba noted that there are certain individuals that are uncomfortable with the emergence of Ighodalo as the PDP governorship candidate and have been allegedly moving from one Court to the other and going round media houses with the intention of compromising them to buy into their plot.
While insisting that Ighodalo is the choice of the majority of Edo people, Ologunagba pointed out that, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) affirms that smear campaigns and frivolous litigations aimed to distract its candidate in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo are all efforts in futility as he is the undisputed choice of the majority of the people of Edo State.
“The PDP alerts that it is aware of a well-oiled plot by certain egocentric and overtly ambitious individuals to orchestrate a series of coordinated smear campaigns against Dr. Asue Ighodalo being frustrated by his emergence as candidate, his overwhelming popularity across the State and the fact that he is already coasting to victory in the election.
“The Party has been made aware of how these angry and bitter individuals have been going around the courts and reportedly attempting to induce certain judicial officers to procure damaging rulings against our candidate.
“It has also come to the knowledge of our Party that these unscrupulous elements have been attempting to compromise the media to publish fabrications against our candidate and campaign.
“Our Party have it on good authority that the intent of these individuals who have been holding clandestine meetings in locations in Abuja and Benin City is to cause crisis and derail the democratic process leading to the Edo State governorship election.
“Information available shows that these politicians are behind the erroneous report that our Party’s Governorship Primary in Edo State was nullified by the Court when the Court indeed did not issue any Order to that effect”.
While noting that the individuals behind the plot have been going about boasting of how they’ll compromise the judiciary and the media to further their plot; the PDP National Publicity Secretary appealed to the judiciary, the media and security agencies to be wary of the antics of those individuals and take steps to resist them.
“These individuals have been going about brazenly boasting that they have the connection and capacity to compromise the courts.
“Such barefaced boast is a direct assault on the sensibility and pride of the majority of the people of Edo State as well as the institutions of democracy where the Will of the majority of the people must prevail.
“Our Party alerts the Institution of the Judiciary, the Media and Security Agencies to be wary of the antics and activities of these elements and take steps to resist their shenanigans which is a clear and present danger to the sustenance of democracy in our country.
“In any case, the PDP is not deterred by the mischiefs of these failed individuals as their schemes against Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the people of Edo State have come to naught having already been exposed.
“Our Candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo continues to enjoy the solidarity and support of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State; he remains focused on his issue-based campaign and will not be distracted from his vision and agenda of moving Edo State to another level of prosperity and development on the platform of the PDP.
“The PDP calls on the people of Edo State to remain at alert and resolute in their determination to ensure continued development by voting enmasse for the PDP and Dr. Asue Ighodalo in the September 21, 2024 Governorship election in the State”.