Edo 2020: Abstain From Acts That Could Lead To Rescheduling of Election - Nehikhare

By Simeon OSAJIE

Edo State Chapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has say again its readiness to participate in the September 19 gubernatorial election as scheduled by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party equally called on  the opposition party, APC to abstain from acts that could lead to the  rescheduling of the election.

Edo State PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, in a press briefing in Benin  accused the APC of engineering a strategy that would either lead to rescheduling of the election or a declaration of a state of emergency in the State.

 "The APC knows that they have lost the election. We condemned this tactics of irresponsibility whereby nothing happened and the APC want to create contrive violence throughout the State.

"We want the election to hold and we will also like to remind INEC that  the successes of the election is 100 percent in their hands. For us in the PDP, we are committed to violent free and fair election as part of our commitment to Edo people." 

But  in a swift reaction, APC State Publicity Secretary  Mr. Chris Azebamwan described the allegation of  contriving violence with the sole aim of having the election rescheduled as figment of PDP penchant for violence.

He recounted that 'at the inauguration of the 17 members of the Edo State House of Assembly, seven thugs were arrested by the police at the Assembly Complex and later made confessional statement that they are working for Governor Godwin Obaseki.

"At Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area, a suspected thug, named Holyman by security men. He is a close associate of the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu. These are unverifiable facts and that link PDP to violence. 

"Students of history could testify that APC has no history of violence. In the first and second elections of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, there were no reports of violence. It is Governor Obaseki and the PDP who introduced violence into Edo political landscape.

"Our candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is presently busy campaigning and selling his SIMPLE agenda to Edo people. Why should we want the election postponed? All the indices point to overwhelming victory for APC."