Edo Polls: APC Never Engaged In Vote Buying, Says Hon Agbonayinma

Amid allegations by  Yiaga Africa, that major political parties engaged in vote buying during the recent Edo State governorship election, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member  Hon Eziohuwa Agbonayinma has said such claims never happened.

”If Yiaga is saying APC bought votes, let them prove it. I can tell you there was nothing of such that the APC bought votes, we never needed to buy votes,” Agbonayinma maintained in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday.

Rather the former House of Reps member asserted that the state’s indigenes were tired and frustrated with the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Governor  Godwin Obaseki’s unrealised promises and mismanaged allocations to the state.

”The people were angry they came out en masse to support and vote for the APC because of their anger,” he said.

”President Tinubu ordered the release of a trailer load of rice to cushion the effects of hunger and starvation. Mr Governro stole most of the rice sold at the market. It was not given to the people ”

”Mr President in his goodwill gave over N500bn to the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT, Edo state got over 18bn, ask the governor what he did with the money. The money went to voicemail ”

”$ 35 million to build schools, go and look at our schools, no roof, and children sitting on the floor. That money went to voicemail. Over $ 150 million was meant for erosion control. Come to GRA Mcome to Benin when it rains in 5mins everywhere is river Obaseki or river Asue Ighodalo,” he said.

Hon Agbonayinma insisted that the indigenes of Edo state should be commended for their bravery in sticking to their guns and not voting for the governor’s candidate.

”That is the reason they said we must change anyone Obaseki is bringing and they have done that we must appreciate and applaud our people.,”

Obaseki Has Questions To Answer

When quizzed if the APC will probe allegations of funds being siphoned by the state government, the party member called it ”an understatement”

”That is an understatement, as a matter of fact, APC probing, I think the security agencies, the anti-graft  agencies, EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau”

”Look he has to answer for it… this is not about the APC, it is about the people. Edo state must ask questions.”

They need to come to Edo and see the rot and corruption that has eaten this place dry. That today, Edo state is indebted to the tune of 600bn and has nothing to write home about. The healthcare sector is dead, no roads ”

”How can a governor destroy the only hospital so many years ago where our mothers and fathers came to, especially from the rural areas, he destroyed it”

”The one that the former governor Adams Oshiomhole built, a five-star hospital he gave to a consultant. Our mothers, our fathers and the less privileged cannot afford to go to such as hospital,” he said

Politicians Bought Votes With Bread, ₦5,000

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR),  observed voter inducement at polling units (PUs) during the governorship election in Edo State.

“Situation Room observers reported widespread instances of blatant vote buying and selling across several polling units, despite the huge presence of security personnel,” the group said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

The statement co-signed by Yunusa Z. Ya’u, Mimidoo Achakpa and Franklin Oloniju revealed that “The price of votes ranged from ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 per voter in several locations, including PU08 and 09 Ward 2, Owan-East LGA; PU 02 Ward 2, Etsako-West LGA; and several polling units in Egor, Oredo and Owan-West LGAs.

Others were Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (formerly Alliance for Credible Elections, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), DIG Ebonyi, New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Life And Peace Development Organization (LAPDO), Rural Youth Initiative, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Josemaria Escriva Foundation.