The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday called on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to shun violence and sell it candidate in the Edo governorship poll by engaging electorate on issue-based campaigns.
The party also asked the governorship candidate of the PDP, Governor Godwin Obaseki and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to drop what it termed ‘puerile conspiracies’ and do the hard work of reaching out to the Edo masses.
The APC in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena said President Muhammadu Buhari has signalled he would not use critical institutions of the state to stiffle opposition.
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Recent political developments in Edo has stoked tension in the state’s political climate as both the APC and PDP continue to exchange harsh words, with supporters clashing at the Oba of Benin palace recently as concerns mount on the state of security in the state ahead of the poll.
But the ruling party noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that the APC could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections should be a solid pointer that under the current administration, the days of stolen and procured electoral mandates are fast fading.
According to the APC, “Critical state institutions such as the Judiciary, INEC, security services, have been the ultimate beneficiaries of the President’s impartiality and non-interference. We must all support the independence of our state institutions to deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system.
“Ahead of the Edo State Governorship election, the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki continually spins puerile conspiracies on the role of ‘federal might’, while using his so called “Obaseki Boys” and state apparatus under his control to harass the State House of Assembly and APC members in the state. On his part, Governor Nyesom Wike as head of the PDP campaign council threatens violence.
“While we understand the panic and distress in the camp of the PDP and Governor Obaseki following the massive and widespread support given by the Edo electorate to the APC Governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC invites the PDP to join us in issue-based campaigns and at least attempt to sell to the Edo electorate the merit of their candidate, if any.
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“The APC’s people-focused development records across the country forms the basis of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s six-point ‘SIMPLE agenda’ for the good people of Edo State which stands for Security, Infrastructural development, Manpower development, Public Private Partnership, Leadership and Employment creation.”
The APC also asked the PDP and other rival parties to “purge themselves of their age-long undemocratic habits of election rigging, vote-buying, violence, abuse of state institutions for political ends and address themselves to new realities that under the President Buhari-led APC administration, the power now belongs to the people and during elections, votes count.”
