Political tension heightened last Monday among the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirants in Edo state following allegation that some of the contestants were buying Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) of some of the delegates ahead the June 18 governorship primaries of the party One of the aspirants, Dr Ogiemwonyi has even called on the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to arrest a member of the House of Representatives representing Etsako Federal constituency Philip Shuaibu for allegedly buying up the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) of some of the delegates of the party in his area. It was alleged that the PVCs were being purchased for N10,000 –N20,000 each. Ogiemwonyi who made the allegation through his Director of Planning, Strategy and Operations, Akemokue Lukman, said they have in their possession a video evidence to back up their claim.
According to him, the plan was to disenfranchise the voters who are scheduled to take part in the forthcoming primaries, asserting that “we have told the delegates to go back to their wards and LGAs and retrieve their PVCs because that is their voting ticket”. This allegation led to accusations and counter accusations in the party as another aspirant, Gen.Airhiavbere confirmed that “PVCs were actually being sold like tomatoes in the field describing it as unacceptable.
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But the deputy governor of the state, Dr Odubu viewed the situation differently, saying that if the allegation is true, those purchasing it will be embarking on wasteful exercise since there are other forms of identification of delegates. He however condemned the act and warned those indulging in it to have a rethink.
The allegation had pitched the camp of Ogiemwonyi against that of Obaseki who is believed to be enjoying the support of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and other members of the state executive council, a situation which Ogiemwonyi equally frowned at. The aspirants expressed fear that the alleged buying of PVCs was geared towards giving Obaseki an edge in the forthcoming primaries.
But the lawmaker, Shuaibu who was fingered said it was Ogiemwonyi who should be arrested, alleging that they had it on record that Ogiemwonyi had been paying some of the delegates for the past seven months and wondered why he should be crying foul. Shuiabu who challenged Ogiemwonyi to provide the video evidence of the alleged purchase of PVCs expressed shock also that Ogiemwonyi would be accusing members of the state Assembly of abandoning their duties to escort Obaseki to Abuja to submit his form. He added that “Ogienwonyi is displaying ignorance of happenings in the state since he does not know that the House of Assembly was on recess”.
Shuaibu said, “ I am surprised that he will be making such an allegation. When I heard it I said no, he is more intelligent to even think such a thing exist. If a person that wants to be a governor of a state do not know the difference between PVC and party card in a primary then it is unfortunate. I have contested election more than four times, no INEC card is used to conduct primaries. It shows he does not know what party politics and party primaries is all about. And for him to also engage in this kind of blackmail, forgetting that I am also a super delegate in this election shows that he is not prepared for the election. How can somebody who says he wants to be governor also accuse the state Assembly of abandoning their duties to escort an aspirant to submit his form.
Those state legislators are also super delegates and they will vote that day. And for him not to know that the state Assembly are on recess also shows that he is not current about the activities in the state he wants to govern. It shows obviously that a man like that is not to be taken seriously. Nobody contest primaries with INEC PVC and nobody can buy PVC for the purpose of general election, how many PVCs can you buy. Ogienwonyi has sent people to me and I said that this election you are talking about I have already endorsed a candidate, I do not play double game but because of frustration he wants to blackmail. This meeting that he is talking about is the seventh of its kind that I am holding, to put all my delegates together. I am a super delegate and other delegates are with me in the project of Obaseki. We have endorsed Obaseki and I have a right to endorse any body.
He sought for that opportunity but I refused.
Now I am moving to vote for Obaseki as a delegate and I am moving my own delegates from my Federal constituency and they gave me the mandate that we are all supporting Obaseki and we have no regrets. That I am coordinating them does not mean that I am dictating to them. It is a collective agreement. We have collectively endorsed Obaseki and nothing is going to change that. We are only mobilising delegates to support Obaseki and not buying PVCs. I feel that he lacks the moral standi to even talk about this, he is even the one that has been paying delegates for over six months. He has deep pocket, I want to assure him that we have deep knowledge. He should stop blackmailing us and face his campaigns”.
Reacting also, Abbass Braimah who is the coordinator of Obaseki’s campaign in Edo North, described the allegation as untrue. Braimah who also is a former House of Representatives member said “I am surprised and shocked with his allegation. Let me make it clear that I was present in that meeting and I challenge him to produce the video evidence he said he has to back his claim otherwise the party should discipline him for this cheap blackmail, embarrassment and harassment. “As we speak the House of Assembly members are on recess and we thank them very profoundly for coming to Abuja to support the adoption of Obaseki”.
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