Edo poll: APC alleges Obaseki gave 35 parties N5m each, promised them N65m for endorsement
The State Media Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress for the Edo State governorship election has accused a group of political parties of planning a staged press conference at a hotel in Benin City on Friday to endorse incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party after receiving alleged payments and promised N65 million reward.
In a statement by John Mayaki, the Chairman of the Campaign Council, the APC said the “motley of parties” have sold out their platform and done irrevocable damage to their potential for growth in the state by agreeing to offer their support to a widely rejected Governor.
Mayaki said: “A motley of some fringe political parties will gather at Bibi Motel in Benin City today being Friday where they plan to stage a press conference announcing their endorsement of the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“These parties, which ordinarily ought to present themselves to the people of Edo State as viable alternatives to build the necessary followership required for future relevance, have decided to instead cash in on the greed of their leaders and offer their platforms in exchange for an initial down payment of N5 million each, and an additional promise of N65 million to support a governor widely rejected in his state for his non-performance.
“With this act of betrayal and greed, it is safe to say that these parties have successfully and irrevocably done damage to their integrity and placed a final barrier to any potential for growth and relevance in Edo State.
“It is shameful, and unfortunate, how these persons negotiate with platforms that should contest with the major parties and force through policy changes if at all they cannot, by themselves, form the government in the interim.
“They make no attempt to increase their followership, present logical ideas to the people, or even make the most basic preparations for elections, whether statewide or grassroots. Rather, their entire existence is to negotiate and declare support for the highest bidder.”
“Luckily for them, they have found a good client in the desperate and rejected Godwin Obaseki. As we have repeatedly said, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not in the business of paying for support. This is why he has focused on selling his manifesto to the people through an issue-based campaign devoid of name-calling and propaganda. The support he enjoys now from the millions of people in the state, advocacy groups, political parties, and the many others that will endorse him in the immediate future is organic and based solely on their conviction.
“Obaseki can enjoy the few headlines and news mentions that these procured endorsements will fetch him but he must never lose sight of the fact that, in the final analysis, they are irrelevant and incapable of changing the minds of the majority of Edo people who will be voting the All Progressives Congress on the 19th of September.”Theeagle
