The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of complicity in the alleged manipulation of Wednesday’s Edo governorship election.
Reacting to Buhari’s congratulatory message to Godwin Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and winner of the election, the party said the president had shown he belonged to somebody.
The PDP said this in the context of Buhari’s inaugural speech in which he said: “I belong to nobody and I belong to everybody.”
The party insisted that the election was rigged.
“President Buhari’s congratulatory message to Godwin Obaseki has finally revealed his hand in the Edo guber election imbroglio. We note with sadness that he had never extended similar congratulatory messages or goodwill to PDP candidates who were victorious in various elections since he assumed office,” Dayo Adeyeye, spokesman of PDP, said.
“In Bayelsa state where his party with the support of security agencies virtually declared war on Governor Seriake Dickson and the people of Bayelsa, the president refused to congratulate the PDP candidate who against all odds managed to survive the APC onslaught.
“His aides claimed then that the president was not in the business of congratulating election winners. Why the sudden change of heart now if we may ask? The only plausible explanation is that the president was eager to confer legitimacy on an otherwise badly flawed election in which his party acted like Shina Rambo, the notorious armed robber. Only that this time they were robbing the people of their votes.
“The action of the president belies his statement that he belongs to nobody but belongs to everybody. The president has shown where he belongs. We recall that President Jonathan dutifully never failed to congratulate opposition candidates who won elections during his tenure, including Adams Oshiomhole. That is what is expected of a statesman.
“We did not lose the gubernatorial election in Edo state. We can therefore not be described as ‘bad losers’ according to the APC state chairman in Edo state, Anselm Ojezua. We were robbed by very shameless election riggers.”
