The Peoples Democratic Party says any policeman or security officer that allows the ruling All Progressives Congress to pitch him or her against the people in the September 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election would have himself or herself to blame.
The party said its position is predicated on reports that the APC-led Federal Government as well as the State of Osun are paying policemen between N50,000 and N250,000 as inducement to assist the APC in its plot to suppress free, fair and credible governorship election in Osun State “as they did in the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State”.
It said: “Nigerians, particularly, the people of Osun state, can easily see through the attempt to use the subterfuge of a huge election duty allowance to entangle our security officers and use them against the people.
“The Osun people are already in the know of how the policemen are being instructed to aid the APC in its bid to manipulate the electoral process and to be harsh to PDP supporters and voters in PDP strongholds across the state.
“While the PDP has nothing against any effort to effectively mobilize our security officials for the election, our party totally rejects the plot by the APC to use the payment as inducement to manipulate the election.
“It is instructive to let the APC and the compromised security and INEC officials to know that the Osun people are already at alert; they are very anxious about this election and are fully rallied to use all legitimate means allowed in the defence of their mandate against violent assaults.
“The Osun people are ready to vote and to protect their votes to the very end irrespective of the machinations of the APC.
“The PDP therefore cautions the police officials to be on the side of the people, fairness and credible process and to learn from past experiences, where security officials who allowed themselves to be pitched against the people in elections, faced very dire consequences.
“Osun is a stronghold of the PDP and our candidate, Ademola Adeleke, remains the most popular candidate in this election. The PDP will therefore not accept anything short of a free, fair and credible election where the people are allowed to chose their leader, unhindered and where all votes count.”
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