The Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council has claimed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led state government is in panic mode over the exposure of alleged criminal plans of the Edo Security Network (ESN) for the polls.

The media director of the APC Campaign, Prince Kassim Afegbua, in a statement in Benin the state capital, alleged the ESN was set up by the state governor Godwin Obaseki to subvert the will of Edo people before, during and after the governorship election.

He alleged that the 11,000-strong armed group was caught during the week verbally directing members to cleverly hide their guns from the eagle eyes of the Nigeria Police and other security forces.

But Obaseki dismissed APC’s claim, saying it reflects jittery over their impending loss after presenting “an unlettered and incompetent candidate for the office of a governor.”

Noting that the opposition party has resorted to machiavellian tactics to subvert the will of Edo people, the governor, who replied through his special adviser on Media Project, Cursoe Osagie said APC’s rambling is another failed attempt to mislead the public and distract from their own devious plan to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Earlier, Afegbua claimed the government plans to violently rig the election were busted after three disclosures, one of which was from a WhatsApp group.

He said, “One of the voice notes directed members to hide their arms and ammunition for fear of arrest, while another stated that in the event of any arrest, there should be resistance.

“Yet, another indicated that should they mount roadblocks or stop-and- search operations, they should ensure that not less than five personnel are involved.

“We are calling on our members, stakeholders and members of the Public to continue their vigilance as September 21st draws near. We will continue to expose Governor Obaseki and his anointed godson on their plots to deny Edo people the right to elect their chosen candidate.

“Let them use code, sign language, “echo-Charlie” and other visuals, we will continue to intercept them and alert the public. September 21st election must be free, fair and credible to allow Edo people the opportunity to make their informed choices,” he said.

Obaseki, in response, said, “Does anyone need answers to why the APC in Edo State has been relentless in their campaign of calumny against the State’s Security and Vigilante Network in the run-up to the gubernatorial elections and why they want to by all means discredit and disable the intelligence gathering scheme, which security agencies in the State have confirmed their role in combating crime and criminality, especially in the grassroots?

“They are jittery over their impending loss after presenting an unlettered and incompetent candidate for the office of a governor and have now resorted to machiavellian tactics to subvert the will of Edo people and have perfected these plans and now want to shift attention to other people so as to freely implement their evil plan.

“We call on the authorities to place their eyes on Afegbua and the APC because what they are accusing others of is exactly what they are planning to do themselves. This tactic of accusing others of their own devious plot is a strategy that the APC is well known for, and the people of Edo State are too wise to be fooled by vain subterfuge,” he said.