THE State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Chris Osa Nehikhare, has accused the All Progressives Congress of fabricating what he described as “a fake news” of the resignation of the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Tony Aziegbemi.
Nehikhare, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Friday, described the rumour as “the fabrication of members of the All Progressives Congress in their last minute and desperate efforts to save an unpopular candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from quitting the gubernatorial race, which the party is set to lose.”
“With just a week to the September 19 election, and worried by the lack of acceptance of its candidate, the APC has resorted to desperate and unconventional campaign tactics; fake news, deceit and falsehood, to attempt to sway Edo voters,” he said.
“For emphasis, the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has not resigned from the PDP. He is committed to leading the party to victory, come September 19, with the party’s standard bearer, Governor Godwin Obaseki. Edo people should ignore the shenanigans of the APC and come out en masse to reelect the PDP candidate on election day,” he added.
Meanwhile, the management of The Point has issued a rejoinder on an earlier story announcing the defection of the PDP Chairman, following a query issued to the Edo State correspondent, Ben Ogbemudia, for rushing to file a story he did not “particularly” verify.
In his defence, Ogbemudia said the initial report, which said the PDP Chairman decamped from the PDP to the APC, owing to a claim that he was not allowed to function effectively as the Chairman of the party; was sent to him by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Aimola Uaikhe Jerry.
The Point’s Deputy Editor, Politics, however, learnt that this might be a deliberate act linked to a possible “underground bickering between the Chairman’s men and Governor Obaseki’s campaign organisation.”
