The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the deployment of a new commandant for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Adeyinka Fasiu to the state.
PDP, which reinstated its commitment to a peaceful, free and fair governorship election on September 19, 2020, expressed worry that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had resolved to win the election by all means.
The party also alleged that the new NSCDC commandant is a known ally of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, adding that Fasiu had worked closely with him.
The party stated this in a statement on Thursday by its state Publicity Secretary, Chris Osa Nehikhare, alleging that Fasiu is a step above the rank of a state commandant.
The statement reads in part: “The latest of such evil plot of the APC to win the election through foul and unfair means is the redeployment of Mr Ayinla as the commandant of the NSCDC. The posting by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is politically motivated and a plot to rig the governorship election.
“The new state commandant is a lackey of a leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and has worked closely with him in the past. Findings also showed that the new Edo NSCDC head is of a rank that is above his new posting as state commandant.
“What then could make Ogbeni Aregbesola, himself Tinubu’s man Friday, post Ayinla to Edo? We are convinced that Mr Ayinla may have been posted to Edo to do dirty jobs for the APC.
“Only this week, Nigerians watched a short video of a former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, telling the Chief of Staff to President Buhari to arrest some people. We had previously watched with disdain how the candidate of APC was inciting and motivating thugs that referred to themselves as lions and tigers to cause disruption and maximum carnage on Election Day. Today, they are posting a personal nominee of Tinubu to superintend elections in Edo. …If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, there is only one conclusion, It is a DUCK!
“Shame they want to compromise the NSCDC to gain undue influence.
“With the turn of events and revelations, we are skeptical of the plans the APC led federal government have for INEC, Police and other security agencies.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call his party men to order. Edo people want their votes to count and they are prepared to defend their votes. No amount of intimidation or threat will scare them from exercising their rights.
“We advice leaders of the Edo APC to focus on marketing their candidate instead of concentrating on plots to rig and scuttle the forthcoming election.”