From Moshood Karim
Benin – Mr. Godeswill Inegbe, media aide to Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, has vehemently denied recent media reports suggesting that his principal is not registered to vote in the upcoming Edo State governorship election.
Inegbe described these claims as “false and a lie from the pit of hell.”
In a statement released to journalists in Benin, Inegbe addressed the allegations head-on, attributing them to desperate attempts by isolated bloggers seeking attention ahead of the election.
He pointed fingers at the opposition, specifically the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), accusing them of fabricating the story to distract from their own internal struggles and to undermine Senator Okpebholo’s grassroots campaign.
“The attention of Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo, popularly known as Akpakomiza, has been drawn to a fake story posted by literally isolated bloggers who are desperately seeking relevance and patronage ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Edo State,” Inegbe stated.
He emphasized that the claims about Okpebholo’s voter registration status are entirely baseless.
Inegbe reminded the public of Okpebholo’s active political engagement in the state, highlighting his participation in the February 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Election as the APC candidate for the Edo Central Senatorial District. He noted that Okpebholo cast his vote at Udomi Primary School in Uwessan-Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area.
To further debunk the false claims, Inegbe mentioned that a simple check on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Verification Database confirms Okpebholo’s registration at the said polling unit. He also provided a marked screenshot from the INEC database as evidence.
Inegbe’s statement took a sharp turn towards the PDP, accusing them of being in a state of “despair and despondency” due to their internal issues and the recent nullification of their governorship candidate’s primary election by a competent court. He urged the PDP to manage their frustrations internally rather than targeting the APC candidate with fabricated stories.
“The PDP brought upon itself the current political ordeal due to the party’s flagrant violation and notorious disregard for its constitution and rules of internal party engagements. For once, the party should take responsibility for its actions,” Inegbe concluded.
As the governorship election approaches, tensions between the APC and PDP continue to escalate, with both parties vying for the electorate’s favor in Edo State.
