The All Progressives Congress in Edo State has reacted to allegations that some party leaders were buying up Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs, from delegates ahead of the June 18 governorship primaries in the state.
Two aspirants on the platform of the APC, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Godwin Obaseki on Monday traded accusations over an allegation that a serving member of the House of Representatives, Philip Shuaibu, was buying the PVCs from delegates on behalf of Mr. Obaseki.
Mr. Ogiemwonyi, who called on the Inspector General of Police to arrest the lawmaker, said the issue was of serious concern to him because delegates, who would eventually choose the APC flag bearer for the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo, would only be admitted to the venue of the primaries using PVCs and delegates’ list.
Reacting to the development, the Edo APC confirmed that some party leaders were indeed buying each delegate’s PVC for amount ranging between N10,000 and N20,000 without explanation on what they intend to do with them.
The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, who made this known in a press statement in Benin, on Tuesday, accused some unnamed local government area party chairmen of threatening to delete from the delegates’ list, names of those that refused to part with their PVCs.
Erhahon warned those involved in the act of buying PVC to desist or face sanctions.
He also advised delegates who have submitted their PVC to any party leader to retrieve them.
According to statement, “No one can delete any name from the delegate list as the authentic list has been released to stakeholders by the National Secretariat.
“Delegates whose PVCs are withheld by anybody should forward written protest to the national secretariat urgently and copy the Director of State Security Service, Benin City.
“The purpose is to distribute the cards to loyalist of the particular aspirant to impersonate the delegate at the primary. Edo APC hereby calls on the national leadership of the party to be pro-active and ensure that desperados do not succeed in their plot against the party”.
