NIGERIA: PDP Confident of Omisore’s Chances in Osun Election

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said its candidate in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, is already coasting to victory, citing his massive acceptance by the voting population, wide-spread political structures, and a track-record of abiding affinity and loyalty to the people of the state as factors.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday, said the fact that the party allowed a free and fair primary which threw up the people’s choice as a candidate also gave it an early mileage ahead of the APC as was the case in Ekiti State.

Basking in the euphoria of a successful grand rally in Osogbo, the state capital at the weekend, the PDP said: “We have a very popular and hard working candidate with very strong bond with the people of Osun State; a candidate with the most extensive political structure in all the nooks and crannies of the state with an unrivalled track-record of loyalty to the people who have now queued behind him ahead of August 9.

“Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that based on his popularity, Omisore would have become governor in 1999 and 2003 respectively, but sacrificed his personal ambition to accept the position of deputy governor out of humility and commitment to the stability of the state. On these two occasions, he obeyed his people and made reference to God’s appointed time.

“With the prevailing reality on ground in the state, it is clear that the humility and statesmanship displayed by Omisore in the last 16 years have paid off as the people themselves have at last settled for him,” the PDP said.

Stating that it was too late for the APC to catch up, the PDP said while the APC neglected the people and devoted its time and energy on chasing shadows using media propaganda and bogus opinion polls, the PDP candidate used his existing structures to vigorously engage in all-inclusive campaign with very strong message, which resulted in the current overwhelming followership in Osun State.

The PDP thanked the people of the state for their “iron-cast support and solidarity” and urged them not to relent but push through their resolve to entrench an accountable and people-oriented government by coming out in their large numbers to vote for  Omisore.

It also charged the people to remain calm and vigilant and ensure that no room is created for the APC, which it said had plotted to disrupt the polls in the face of defeat.

“Nigerians know the APC for who they are. Instead of campaigning, they have been busy trying to overheat the system, using lies, blackmail and threats with plots to disrupt the exercise having realised that their time is up. However, as a party committed to peace, unity and welfare of the people, we charge our supporters to remain calm as the people end bad governance in Osun State through a free, fair and credible,” the PDP said.

Meanwhile, the APC has identified 10  local governments in the state, where it alleged the PDP plans to massively rig the governorship election.

Following the allegation that PDP may try to influence election officials party, APC said that its agents would not sign any false results of the election emanating from a compromised returning officer.
The alleged flash points are Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Olurunda, Iwo, Ifelodun, Osogbo, Odo Otin and Aiyedade

In a statement issued  yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also claimed that President Jonathan reportedly told the security agencies that he wants victory for his party at all costs, adding that such admonition  would definitely shape their perception of the election as a do-or-die affair.

‘’Nigerians from all walks of life, desirous of a free and fair election on Saturday, are reaching out to us with useful information on the plan by the desperate PDP to rig the forthcoming election, and we are taking the information very seriously.

‘’For example, we learnt that the PDP has identified Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Olurunda, Iwo, Ifelodun, Osogbo, Odo Otin and Aiyedade as places where they plan to perpetrate massive rigging.

“Two different results have allegedly been written ahead of the elections, while three Vice Chancellors, one from the North Central and two  from the South West, have been pencilled down to serve as a returning officer. The incentive for the returning officer who can announce the doctored results is 1 billion Naira,’’ it said.
The party said in addition to  the massive deployment of security agencies to Osun to harass and intimidate the opposition, huge amounts of cash are being moved into the state via armoured personnel carriers.

It therefore called on INEC not to allow any unscrupulous person to serve as a returning officer for the election, and to pay a special attention to voting in the identified local governments, where the PDP plans to influence the outcome of the election.

‘’No one will accept the result of an election in which the returning officer is compromised with filthy lucre. This is why were are calling on INEC to ensure that only a person of integrity can serve in that important post,’’ APC said, Warning that its agents will not sign any false results of the August 9 election.”

The party also called on the international community to pay attention to the issues that could affect the outcome of the election, instead of waiting until the deed has been done.

‘’The biggest danger to Saturday’s election in Osun is the unbridled desperation of the PDP to win at all costs. This explains why the party’s candidate, Omisore, has lied so shamelessly about a purported USAID survey that puts him ahead of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. But for USAID which quickly put a lie to the peddled story, Omisore would have continued to use it as a campaign tool,’’ it said.

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