Edo State government has alleged that as a desperate last resort to cover lost ground in the state, the Presidency has descended to the use of smear campaign against the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Also, the state government said there are plans to clamp down on faithful of the All Progressives Congress in the State, including members of the state executive council, as part of desperate moves to cow the people of the state and pave the way for the rigging of the forthcoming election in the state.
In a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Louis Odion, the Government said: “We wish to alert the Nigerian public, foreign election observers and lovers of democracy to an evil plot by the presidency to clamp down on All Progressives Congress (APC) in a last-ditch attempt to rig the coming general elections in Edo State in favour of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The devilish design consists of a vicious smear campaign against Edo Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in form of newspaper adverts/articles and sponsored television documentary dripping of lies and slander as well as intimidation and detention of APC leaders across the 18 councils in the state on trumped up charges.
“One of such smear campaigns was featured on the national network of NTA yesterday signed by “Edo Political Rebirth Group”, a phantom body, in clear breach of decency and NBC code. We find it curious that whereas decent jingles taken by APC and its supporters to the same NTA are rejected outright, this supposed public trust has been desecrated and parlayed by PDP to slander innocent citizens of Nigeria.
“We are aware that some media organizations, mindful of the laughable and libelous contents, had responsibly rejected the said adverts/documentaries in spite of the huge blood money offered them in dollars.
“We not only condemn this recourse to Nazi tactics by a desperate and – by God’s grace- outgoing PDP government, but wish to reassure that the Comrade Governor remains unshaken in the noble struggle to reclaim Nigeria from a hopelessly incompetent ruling party. Their desperation should be understood.
“In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan polled more than 90 percent of the votes in Edo on account of a singular push by Comrade Oshiomhole who deployed his persuasive skill to sell Jonathan against his own party’s candidate in the hope that the then trenchant promise of “fresh breath” would redeem the nation.
“Now utterly disillusioned by PDP’s monumental failure, Comrade Oshiomhole is convinced the challenge confronting the nation today transcends ethnic solidarity or religious affinity. To him, it is now a choice between those who want a continuity of insecurity, corruption and deepening poverty and a promise of real change as embodied by APC’s General Muhammadu Buhari.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Comrade Governor calls on APC members to remain calm but resolute against the dirty moves by these anti-democratic forces in the rock-solid conviction that Edo people, like other patriots across the country, are now wiser and will vote for change come March 28 and April 11.
