By Andrew Momoh
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has allegedly perfected strategies aimed at massive vote-buying and is also capable of weaponizing poverty to win the September 21st governorship election in the state, it has emerged.
The multifaceted approach, it was learned, includes the deployment of a whopping sum of N1 billion as palliatives to be shared through various religious leaders across the state, including churches, mosques, civil society groups, opinion leaders, among other relevant stakeholders, instead of the conventional party leaders.
Our source revealed that account details of would-be beneficiaries are being collated across the 18 local government areas already.
This would be followed by an arrangement to commence massive teacher recruitment across the state. In executing this strategy, it was learned that the governor has reached out to party leaders to submit their nominations, even though the process would be officially advertised to cover up the politicization of the recruitment.
Unless there’s a change of plan, no fewer than 4,000 persons would be recruited as teachers in this electioneering period, it was learned.
Also, in his rigging and vote-buying strategy, there is the massive employment of Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, among other portfolios from the 192 wards to be deployed primarily for the election.
The governor has also considered the recruitment of vigilante groups as part of his ‘selfish’ strategy.
The source, who condemned Governor Obaseki’s weaponization of poverty to win votes, said such a selfish strategy that condemns the people to extreme suffering is detrimental to the growth of democracy in Edo State.