Tag Archives: Edo Guber

Edo guber: Postponement will not affect election outcome – INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said that the postponement of the state governorship election to Sept. 28 would not negatively affect the outcome of the poll.

Mr Sam Olumekun, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in Edo, said this at the commission’s organised Stakeholders’ meeting on the election on Thursday in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that INEC postponed the governorship election from Sept. 10 to Sept. 28 following security advice from the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

But Olumekun said the commission was ready and willing to conduct free, fair, credible and conclusive election for Edo people.

The REC, therefore, appealed to all the security agencies to deploy their personnel early enough to man their duty posts.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, Benin, Mr Isaac Eke, said that security agencies would do everything humanly possible to give protection to the people during and after the election.

Eke assured all the 19 political parties of a level playing ground during the electoral process.

The newly-deployed Commissioner of Police to Edo, Mr Haliru Gwandu, also appealed to political parties and their supporters to eschew violence and intimidation of electoral officials and ad-hoc staff whose primary duty was to conduct the elections.

Gwandu urged the people to stop seeing election as a do-or-die affair.

“Those who want to invite thugs from neighbouring states should jettison the idea as security operatives are on ground to nip such plans in the bud,” he warned.

#Edo2016: APC alleges Plot by PDP to unleash mayhem, rig polls

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has raised alarm over what it called an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unleash violence and cause confusion in the state during the governorship election.

The party, which is holding power in the state, claims that the plan would pave way for the opposition to rig the governorship election scheduled for September 10.

A statement by the party said “no less than 500 militants from Delta are being mobilised to critical areas of Edo State to carry out this evil plan using the waterways.

“The primary targets are Edo-North using the River Niger to access areas around Agenebode; Edo-South, via the Osse River; and Edo Central, via Ilushi River”.

Citing internal sources within the PDP, the APC also alleged that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the conduct of the elections were being compromised by the PDP with the lure of huge financial rewards should they agree to act out their script to rig the elections.

“In their desperation to seize power at all cost, they have not only perfected plans to usurp the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) across the state but have already started acting it out as we have received reports that some PVCs meant for certain Local Government Areas have been hijacked by PDP thugs.

“We want to use this medium to call on the security agencies in the state, particularly the Nigerian Police Force, to investigate the matter expeditiously and immediately put in place measures to forestall their wicked plans, and maintain peace and order throughout this electioneering period.

“We also call on INEC to carry out due diligence on all its ad-hoc staff and monitor them closely so that those who have been compromised will not be allowed to carry out the PDP’s devious plans,” the statement read.

In his reaction to the alleged plot, the APC flagbearer, Godwin Obaseki, said: “We, in the APC, are not totally surprised by this distasteful development as the PDP is reputed for crude ‘do-or-die’ politics.

“We, however, want to state categorically that we will not be intimidated by their antics, and we will continue to push, through every legitimate means, our message of hope and prosperity.

“We are also confident that the good people of Edo State, having experienced unprecedented development and transformation of the state under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomole of the APC, will vehemently resist any attempt by the PDP to halt the remarkable progress we have made, and lead us back to the dark days when our people watched helplessly as a few thieving politicians pillaged our commonwealth and nearly destroyed our state”.

Amidst uncertainty on the September 10 exercise due to recommendations for postponement by security operatives, Obaseki urged his supporters to be vigilant, and continue to conduct themselves peacefully as law-abiding citizens of Edo State.

Meanwhile the PDP has described the call for postponement of the election as shocking and a bizarre.

The party responded to the advice by security agencies in a statement by its spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, on Wednesday.

After the advice was issued, the INEC said it had not received any official document advising it to shift the election and insisted that it would go ahead with the election as scheduled.

Edo Guber: Stop Peddling Lies About Me – Obaseki Tells Opposition

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The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki, has accused opposition parties in the state of peddling lies to discredit his person.

 

Obaseki who spoke at a live television programme in Benin City, urged political stakeholders in the state to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting a violent- free election by discouraging thuggery.

 

The APC candidate expressed displeasure over the lies told by some candidates, while calling for factual and issue-based campaign.

 

Describing his ideas in politics as fresh and modern, Obaseki said having served in government in the last eight years and interacted with major political actors across the state, victory is irreversible for the APC.

 

Explaining that though he has a cordial relationship with other party candidates, he said: “what I don’t like about them is that instead of focus on issues, they stimulate a lot of untruth, things that are not correct and begin to emphasize on them.

 

“I will love a political contest of telling the people what you want to do for them and how we want to do it. And also showing the people the experience we have to convince them that we will accomplish what we have promised.

“A lot of contestants today, all you hear them tell the people are contrived lies and abuses rather than focus on the issue of how to make Edo better and what are the options we want to give Edo people to make the state better.”

 

On the issue of not being a politician, Obaseki added, “I don’t agree that I don’t have a political background. As you can see, I am not an old politician. I have modern and fresh concept about governance and yes, this is the first time I am contesting election. But I have been in government, I have been in the corridor of power in the last seven and half years and I have interacted with every major political actor and I have been involved in most political play and decision”.

 

While urging stakeholders to support the INEC to conduct a peaceful poll, Obaseki said, “No institution is perfect, INEC is an umpire, they are doing their best based on the situation they find themselves and the resources they have. We will have to work with them and encourage them to improve”.