Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
Contrary to reports that the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has collapsed its structure into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, the party insisted that it is behind its governorship candidate, Ibio Emmanuel.
The National Chairman of ADP, Mr. Yabagi Sani, stated this yesterday at a press briefing at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja in response to media claims that the party in Edo State has merged with the PDP in the state for the purpose of the forthcoming governorship election.
He said it beat his imagination that a party that worths its name would engage in such trivial matters.
According to ADP, “Enemies of progress are at work. It beats one’s imagination that a national party that is worthy of its name will indulge in frivolities and criminal activities by making proclamations that are not true. And you wonder what kind of political party is that.
“We gathered in the media that the publicity secretary of the PDP announced that the executives of ADP in Edo State has collapsed into the PDP, and that we have abandoned our candidate.
“The party is surprised that a party like PDP would spread such lies rather than consolidate on it structures built over the years to compete favourably in the poll. He claims that some PDP members are in talks with the ADP.”
He added that some members of PDP, who do not have confidence in the viability of their own candidate, are talking to ADP because at the end of the day, they think it is the court that will decide the outcome of the election.
“Before then, they want us to note their interest in alliance with us. So, we do not want to tarnish the image of the party by telling the world of this happening.
“But now that it has come to the discrediting of other political parties, they also need to know that even the PDP members are talking to us because they do not believe in the viability of their candidate, Godwin Obaseki, even after Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declares him the winner. Those who have decamped were not members of our party.”
ADP threatened to litigate if the need arises, and alerted INEC and security agents on those trying to impersonate the party, using it to create disaffection.
