Edo Guber: “Swear you’re not waiting to be rigged into office” – Mayaki challenges APC’s Okpebholo
Former spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Mr. John Mayaki, has issued a challenge to Senator Okpebholo to swear with the Holy Bible that he is not waiting to be rigged into office as Governor of Edo State.
He attributes this alleged reliance on rigging, facilitated by forces in Abuja, the country’s political seat of power, to the candidate’s refusal to campaign and instead play “hide and seek” with voters less than 50 days before the September 21st election.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Mayaki said, “Although as Christians, we’re not encouraged to swear by any means, but this is a challenge to the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and those backing him to come clean on what they are backing if not rigging, destabilization of the state house of assembly through financial inducement, the courts, and federal might.”
He asserted that Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the PDP, will win a free and fair election because he’s better prepared, but the APC candidate and their leaders are hiding in Abuja and avoiding the people because they have been assured that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will announce them the winner by the “powers that be” in Abuja.
Mayaki described the APC candidate as an embarrassment while challenging him and other APC leaders to swear with holy books to prove him wrong that they are not perfecting rigging tactics and shunning campaigns as a result, with the election weeks away.
He warned that the election would be a national embarrassment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if he allows his loyalists to tamper with the process.
“Anything far from being free and fair will tarnish the image of Mr. President, and as such, the APC candidate and other party leaders should be encouraged to approach this election with all the seriousness it deserves, instead of hiding in Abuja waiting for external influences who promised to deliver the state for them with the connivance of the courts, INEC, the military, and the police,” Mayaki said.
“We all know that this election is between the PDP and APC candidates. We can also testify that the APC candidate is not on the ground, nor are the party leaders. A candidate who said he doesn’t need a manifesto to govern Edo State is certainly not prepared for leadership except he’s foisted on the people, and this would spell doom for democracy and the people of the state.”
“Mr. President must understand that this is a democracy, and nobody can summarily gift the state to the party of his choice except through the power of the ballot. This is the uphill task for Senator Monday Okpebholo, who believes he can continue to avoid the people until he’s rigged into office.”
“Otherwise, I boldly challenge him and other APC leaders to swear with the Holy Books if they are not perfecting the art of rigging after being assured by those in Abuja that INEC will declare the APC candidate the winner. They should take up my challenge. I’m throwing this challenge openly; I’m making it public, and I’m waiting for any of them who is bold and sure of himself to take up this challenge.”
