Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to resist and if possible make it impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) to conduct the rescheduled September 28th governorship election in the state if the commission yield to pressure from Governor Adams Oshiomhole to change the already appointed Electoral Officers (EOs).

 Chief Dan Orbih, Chairman of PDP in Edo made the threat during a media briefing  in Benin City, saying this became necessary following information at his disposal the Oshiomhole has promised his party members he was going to influence INEC to out the EOs in all the 18 local government areas of the state and bring in those from APC friendly state in his bid to compromise the election.

 But INEC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Priscilla Imoudu-Sule said such allegation was a mere political grammar to distract attention.

 Imoudu-Sule who spoke on phone with our  correspondent, said during the Sallah holiday, all the respective EOs went to their various local government areas of operation to retrieve all the materials already sent out for safe keep after the postponement.

 According to her, "Politicians should leave INEC alone and concentrate on their electioneering campaign rather than dragging the commission along. They should try and make up with whatever ground they have lost in the past".

 Also, Edo State government has described PDP allegation as a mere lamentation which according to it was an indication that it has lost the election and looking for means to justify their loss.

 Nevertheless, the Edo PDP boss who was flanked by other members of the party State Working Committee (SWC), also accused Oshiomhole of using the Governor of Kaduna state,  El' Rufai to influence the postponement of the election from September 10 to September 28, using a female national commissioner of INEC from his state to enable him (Oshiomhole) to "perfect his evil plan to run the election.

 He said the plan is to allow the APC during the period of postponement, to buy all the unclaimed PVCs from the three senatorial district with a view to bring in APC members from other state to right the election.

 According to Chief Orbih, " Part of the plot is to endure that in the areas where APC is popular, the Card Reader would be made to function, while in areas they are not popular, Incidental Form will be deployed just to undermine the process."

 He further noted that part of the reasons why the election was shifted was to enable the APC enough time to petition the police to arrest notable leaders of PDP on a trump up charge that they are militants.

 For instance, Orbih said he is in possession of a letter, inviting one of the female PDP leaders and other long list of party chieftains to be invited by the Police with the aim of keeping them away from the election.

 Even at that, the PDP chairman said he was reliably informed that the state governor has paid money to militants  from Delta and other APC controlled states to come and rug the election and when arrested, should confessed they were sent in by PDP to justify his earlier allegation that it was his party that hired them.

 "This is to perfect all their plans to rug the election and I want the security agencies to swing into action and arrest them (militants), and go further to find out who sent them for clarity so as not to make the governor achieve his purpose", he said,  adding "instead of canvassing votes for his candidate who in the first place is not qualified, he began to approach our party leaders to induce them and when they refused, thugs will attack them which we have reported to the state Police command".

 To further substantiate his allegation, the PDP chairman claimed he is in possession of a recorded conversation between a Pastor and some thugs of APC ordering him to stop supporting the PDP candidate else he will be attacked.

 "So very soon, you will see the governor accusing the PDP of planning to wreck havoc in the state to cover up because they know that no matter the number of electoral processes, the election is concluded in favour of Ize-Iyamu.

 "Even when he is making serious efforts to ensure the police bring in members of the State Neighbourhood Watch, he will not succeed because we have condemned that move to draft those persons as part of the security arrangement during the election.

 "We have asked our supporters and members to be vigilant and law abiding. That their votes will count in this Election; and that our candidate will not disappoint them", Orbih declared.

 Meanwhile, Edo states Commissioner for Information and Orientation,  Kassim Afegbua, said PDP lamentation is an obvious signs they are jittery over the elections because of their mosquito campaigns as opposed to community campaigns with a grand finale that shook the entire state at Ogbe stadium before the unfortunate postponement.

 Afegbua in a statement said : "While we took over the state by storm with our grand finale, PDP governors sneaked into town and held their own rally in a 12 by 13 room size. What does that tell you? We were more prepared for elections than they". 

 Secondly, following the arrest of some militants now who are being arraigned, it was obvious that the security threat was real. The Police and DSS have been able to make successful arrest of militants who were hitherto recruited to cause violence in the state and their confessions have simply explained the devilish intention of the PDP. 

 Thirdly, he said it is only PDP that has the notorious ingenuity to buy PVC from voters because they have never loved the voting process or our mantra of one man, one vote, adding thatnIf there is anyone buying PVC,  PDP is is the on following the arrest made so far.

 "By and large, PDP is guilty as charged. Whatever alarm we have raised, has been confirmed by revelations and arrests that have been made. Rather than preparing for elections, they are busy carrying out nocturnal meetings and recruiting thugs and militants to the state to perpetrate evil. We will meet them at the election ground and trounce them silly in our typical fashion. We are waiting for our victory songs after the election, Afegbua stated.