Edo: Give us level-playing field, PDP tells Buhari

• Says APC promises empty

THE national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure a level-playing field in the September 10, 2016 Edo state gubernatorial election.

In a statement issued by its interim national spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in Abuja on Sunday, it said the people of the state must be allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice while their vote must be allowed to count.

Noting that the stage was set for the electorate to decide which of the candidates or political parties was more “prepared to deliver democracy dividends to the people of Edo state,” the statement dismissed Saturday’s flag-off of the All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial campaign in the state, saying that the ruling party has been known to deceive the public.

According to PDP, the APC’s campaign flag-off was “a charade and full of old empty promises that has become the trademark of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the federal level and in all the states controlled by the party.”

The party added: “Nigerians now know better and the people of Edo State have also tasted the difference between the government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and will decide on Saturday September 10, 2016 who will govern them.

“We have seen it before and we are seeing it again with the usual empty promises of the APC. They will promise everything to deceive the people and will go 360 degrees denouncing all their promises once they grab power.”

The PDP said it was on a rescue-mission in Edo State “to redeem the people from the ‘go-and-die’ government of the APC that has no regard for the ordinary people except to impose heavy tax without tangible projects in the state.”

The opposition party therefore called on the people of Edo State to protect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and be sure to exercise their franchise on Election Day.
It called on them to vote massively for the party’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, “in order to rescue the state from the firm grip of deceitful government, and to provide the desired democracy dividends for the people.”