A Chieftain of Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in Delta State has solicited for the support and cooperation of aspirants in the September 24, 2013 primaries of the party to accept defeat and work for Chief Ede Dafinone, the candidate of the party to emerge victorious in the Bye election scheduled for October 12, this year.

Chief Enunuaye Akporotu made the appeal yesterday while reacting to allegations by Chiefs Richard Odibo and Obukuwho Gbinije that the primaries were manipulated in favour of a particular candidate and that delegates were influenced with money.

He said that there was no iota of truth in the allegations noting that the election which took place in the presence of security men, INEC officials and journalists were free, fair and transparent.

Chief Akporotu recalled that both Chiefs Odibo and Gbinije, in separate interviews with Journalists at Ughelli Kingdom town hall described the primaries as free, fair and transparent and wondered where the issue of manipulations arose from.

“It is on record that both Chiefs Odibo and Gbinije told Journalists at the venue of the voting that the election was free, fair and transparent. It is on record. Some Journalists still have the recorded interview with them”, he said.

The DPP Chieftain advised the two aspirants not to allow themselves to be used by fortune seekers who he said were out to extort monies from them under the guise that they were not fairly treated in the primaries.

He expressed gladness that the winner of the primaries, Chief Ede Dafinone, has embarked on reconciliation with the aggrieved members of the party and urged both Chiefs Odibo and Gbinije to make themselves available to him