As Edo Campaign Ends, PDP Warns Of ‘Blood’ In Bid To Defend Votes

As Edo Campaign Ends, PDP Warns Of ‘Blood’ In Bid To Defend Votes

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has described the upcoming September 21 governorship election as a critical battle, stressing that the poll must be free of any rigging attempts.

Obaseki issued the warning alongside the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ilia Damagun, who vowed that party members would fiercely defend their votes.

Both leaders made these remarks during the grand finale of the PDP’s campaign rally for its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in Edo State, which was attended by 12 PDP governors and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Addressing supporters at the rally held at Garrick Memorial Secondary School in Benin, Obaseki declared the election as an existential threat for the party, saying, “This election is a matter of life and death. If they do, we will die.”

The PDP declined to sign the peace accord earlier in the week, citing the unlawful arrest and detention of its members as the reason for their refusal.

Both PDP and APC have been trading accusations of inciting violence and engaging in vote-buying in the lead-up to the election.

Damagun reiterated that the PDP would resist any attempts by the APC to win through violence and intimidation, declaring that their party members would defend their votes “with blood.”

The PDP Chairman also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid announcing election results late at night, warning that any such actions would not be taken lightly. He emphasized that the upcoming election would be a significant test of Nigeria’s democracy.

Damagun then presented the party’s flag to Ighodalo, who pledged to build on the foundation laid by Obaseki and run a transparent government rooted in integrity. Ighodalo expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s assurance that the election would be free and fair, urging Edo residents to come out en masse to vote for the PDP.