The Edo State Government has denied having any pact with the Congress for Pregressive Change in the countdown to the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state.
The state government, elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, said though it was not against pacts of such nature, it neverthesless does not have one with the CPC.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, the state government said: “Our attention has been drawn to a lead story published in THISDAY of Monday (July 2) insinuating an alliance between Edo State branch of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) for the July 14 governorship polls in the state.
“To that effect, the newspaper added that the national leader of CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), was being expected to join the national leaders of ACN at a grand rally in Benin City on Saturday, July 7.
“We wish to debunk the report of the purported alliance between Edo ACN and Edo CPC for the purpose of the July 14 elections, and that General Buhari was being expected at the July 7 rally. It is only a figment of the writer’s imagination. Neither has invitation been sent to the CPC leader nor is he being expected at the rally.
“Much as we are not averse to collaboration as true democrat, the truth is no such has been entered into here. It is our humble belief that the discerning Edo voters are appreciative of Comrade Oshiomhole’s sterling performance in the last forty-four months and are more than willing to not only express themselves by voting for him resoundingly on July 14 but also defend their votes.”
In a related development, Oshiomhole has warned the citizens of the state to beware of those seeking to buy their voter cards before the July 14, 2012 governorship election.
He said those after the voter cards are seeking to do so by inducement.
The statement on the issue reads: “This is to inform the general public that information reaching us indicates that despite repeated calls on people of the state not to sell their voters’ cards, some desperate politicians in the state have intensified their devious plot to mop up voters’ cards by inducing the people with cash gifts and in some cases invoking the name of the Comrade Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, as their sponsor with the sole aim of deceiving the people and thereby frustrating the One Man, One Vote principle of the Governor.
“The general public, especially registered voters in the state are advised to ignore these politicians and are reminded that voting is a civic responsibility.
“While we note that it is both a criminal and electoral offence to buy or sell the voter’s card, we are equally concerned that the voters’ cards so procured may be used for other criminal purposes, thus putting the original owners of these cards in trouble.
“We are aware that some highly placed individuals are involved in this unwholesome criminal act and we wish to warn that the security agencies have been given clear instructions to bring anyone found culpable to book, no matter highly-placed the offender is.
“We insist that the July 14 gubernatorial election in the state will be based on the time-tested democratic principle of One Man, One Vote and the people are ready to resist unscrupulous politicians who believe people in the state are for sale.”