2nd September, 2012
JETHRO IBILEKE/Benin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter on Sunday denied going into secret pact with Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to withdraw the legal challenge of the July 14 governorship election at the Elections Petition Tribunal.
According to a press statement by the party’s publicity Secretary, Matthew Uroghide, the decision of the party not to challenge the election outcome at the Election Tribunal came after series of meetings and consultations with all stakeholders of the party, including its flag bearer in the election, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere.
“We did not also come by the decision easily. The resolve not to go to court was as difficult for the leadership to arrive at as it must be for our numerous faithful and loyal members and supporters to come to grips with and accept.
“Though the decision of the party reigns supreme, it did not also foreclose the fundamental and constitutional rights of the candidate to challenge the election outcome at the tribunal. As a matter of fact, the statement only made public an earlier decision accented to by all the attending leaders and stakeholders including the candidate,” the statement said.
PDP, in the statement described as malicious, wicked and unfounded for a group of people to bandy innuendoes and rumors suggesting that the leadership of Edo PDP accepted compensations to sell out their rights to challenge the result of the election, adding that the same people making such allegations actually worked against the candidate and party interest in the July 14, 2012 election.
“It is our knowledge that the new aim of these people is to cause disaffection within the party, and strive to gain some sympathies and favors for themselves from top PDP leaders including the opposition party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no money and promises of choice positions both in the local government offices and in Governor Oshiomhole’s cabinet were offered to and accepted by the PDP and no high-up leader of the party bargained the party’s rights away. The decision, reached by all at the said meetings, was simply a case of the right thing to do after responsibly and painstakingly weighing all the angles,” the party said.
It said the state chapter of PDP has never left anyone in doubt as to her thoughts regarding the election and its conduct. In her official statement, our party was clear on the irregularities observed by a lot of people including Governor Oshiomhole himself which prompted him to indict INEC and Professor Attahiru Jega of compromise in the conduct of the election, just as it pointed out that the party demanded a public apology from Oshiomhole on his alleged allegations that the PDP was responsible for the accident to the governor’s convoy, the killings of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde and a student of the Institute of Management and Technology, Usen.