By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase
Edo election: WITH  hours to the election, the PDP and the APC were last night locked in a war of words over allegations to rig the polls.

The PDP first drew blood when it raised alarm that  the APC in connivance with INEC officials had written results of the yet to be conducted election in nine of the 18 local government areas of the state.

The assertion was immediately rebuffed by the chairman of the APC in the state, Mr. Anslem Ojezua who accused the PDP of resorting to scare tactics having lost the confidence of the people.

The PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Nehikhare specifically accused a top INEC official in Edo State of distributing the sum of N2million each to Electoral Supervisors to enable them write the results ahead of the election.

Godwin Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu

“The said official is under the control of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) from one of the neighbouring states and their activities are being coordinated by an  INEC National Commissioner.

He warned the people would resist attempts by INEC officials acting in concert with the Edo State government and the APC to write results ahead of the election.

He said, “if any of them tries to switch results, the N2 million they collected will be used for their funerals. They should enjoy their money and stay clear from this part of dishonour,” he said.

Edo INEC  Public Relations Officer, Mrs Priscilla Imodu- Sule when called for her reaction to the allegation declined comments.

Imminent defeat is facing PDP today-Ojezua

Reacting, the state chairman of the APC, Mr. Ojezua said the alarm being raised by the PDP was to “cover their evil plots which they are perpetrating by importing arms and thugs from neighbouring states with a view to perpetrating violence, but they have failed.” According to him, “that is a figment of their imagination.

They have lost the election already. I am the state chairman of APC, I have been in my home area for three days, campaigning from unit to unit, door to door. So what time will I have to go and talk about bribing INEC? If anything at all, it is the PDP People that know the INEC people, after all, most of these INEC officers were employed during the PDP government.

“Because they did not work hard, they have nothing to show for their presence in government in Edo State in the past, because they don’t have good will with the people, it has finally dawned on them that failure is their lot.”