Ahead of next Saturday’s Local Government elections in Edo State, the state chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are at loggerheads over allegation of vote-buying.

The state Chairman of the Edo PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, in a statement, yesterday, alleged that the APC and a director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have concluded plots to rig and buy votes during the election with N150 million.

“We are once again drawing the attention of the world and all lovers of democracy to the glaring fact that the APC is attempting to rig the Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, September 2, 2023, by mobilising N150 million from the Niger Delta Development Commission to execute their evil plan to buy votes and rig the elections.

“It is regrettable and disturbing that at a time when Edo people are suffering as a result of the criminally neglected federal roads and the biting economic hardship supervised by the APC-led Federal Government, the party is deploying NDDC’s resources to subvert the will of the Edo People.

“It is shameful that the APC-led Federal Government is using funds meant for the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta to buy votes. We are sure that the resort to this shameful tactic is because the APC is certain of defeat,” he said.

Aziegbemi advised that the N150 million should be deployed by the NDDC to fix the failed federal roads in Edo State, adding that if the APC’s candidates are desirous of winning the elections they should campaign and sell their programmes and candidates to Edo people.

But in a swift response, the APC said that the party was ashamed over the spurious allegations made by the beleaguered factional state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Aziegbemi, regarding a plot to rig and buy votes in the upcoming council elections, using N150 million from the NDDC. (Sunday Sun)