The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola of recruiting over 1,000 thugs to be used during and after the next Saturday Edo State gubernatorial election.
The party, which called on security agencies in the country to probe Aregbesola’s outburst that “come July 14, heaven will fall if Oshiomole loses election,” said what Aregbesola said was akin to declaring war on the country and he must be held responsible if anything untoward happen in Edo State after the election.
Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade, who made this allegation in a statement issued today, also accused the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors in Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States of contributing N2 billion public fund to prosecute the Edo State election.
“Nigerians, especially security agencies should take notice of Aregbesola’s comment at the campaign rally held for Adams Oshiomole on Saturday that heaven will fall if Oshiomhole is not announced as the winner of the election, and act appropriately.
“It should also be noted that it was the same way some people threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable if General Mohammadu Buhari was not declared winner of the 2011 presidential election, and we all saw what happened after the election and we can see what is still happening now.
“Most importantly, we are aware that Aregbesola is in charge of recruitment of thugs for the election and he has already recruited over 1,000 thugs.
“The thugs are to be moved to Edo State from Wednesday, using government vehicles,”
Babade said.
While also accusing ACN governors of using public fund to prosecute the Edo State election, the PDP alleged; “We are aware that a sum of N2 billion is being raised by the five ACN governors in the Southwest to buy voters during the election.
“It is their assumption that if 650,000 votes can be bought at N3,000 per vote, Oshiomhole will win comfortably. And for this purpose, the five Southwest governors have been mandated to contribute N2 billion to prosecute the ‘see and buy’
strategy.
“We are therefore warning the governors to desist from wasting funds meant for the development of Yorubaland on electoral adventures in Nigeria and other countries in Africa.”