From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Ahead of Saturday’s election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the electorate in the state not to vote for “the Recession Team”, as that would be a repeat of the mistakes of the 2015 general election.
The party also urged security agencies, especially the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain neutral in the poll, noting that the electoral commission must ensure that the election is not inconclusive.
The PDP in a statement issued yesterday by Chinwe Nnorom, Head of Publicity Division , on behalf of the National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, called on Edo people to vote enmasse for the party’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his running mate, John Yakubu.
The party condemned alleged intimidation and arbitrary arrest of its members in Edo State and encouraged it’s supporters not to be deterred, stating that the will of the people will certainly prevail.
While applauding the people of the state for the support so far given to Ize-Iyamu, the opposition party said the current hardship in the country is an indication that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nothing to offer the state.
“We want to thank Edo people for their support and solidarity so far. They have all shown their willingness to correct the mistakes of the 2015 elections in Nigeria and we urge them to get their voter cards ready to do justice on Saturday, September 10, 2016 by voting Ize-Iyamu and John Yakubu as the new governor and Deputy Governor of Edo State”.
“We watched with dismay the show of disgrace and embarrassment by the APC in their ‘Recession Rally’ in Benin City and wondered how the party will gather in front of the people they have impoverished with their high taxations, hunger, stagnation, poverty and insecurity, and still has such impudence to make the same empty promises,” the PDP stated.
Don tasks INEC on credible, conclusive election
From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Abada has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a credible and conclusive election on Saturday.
Abada, who is the UNN chapter chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), told news men in Nsukka on Wednesday that Edo State election was another ‘litmus test for Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC. “INEC should do everything within its capacity to ensure that Edo state Saturday poll is credible, violence-free and conclusive.
The commission should ensure that INEC and adhoc staff that will be deployed for Edo Saturday poll are men and women of integrity. “Edo lection on Saturday is another ‘litmus test’ on the competence of INEC,” he said.
The university don urged residents of Edo state to come out enmasse to exercise their civic responsibility of electing the next governor of the state.
“Edo residents should resist any attempt by any politician to buy their conscience through offering of money or gift items so as to vote his or her party.
Abada implored security agents deployed to provide security for the poll to display high sense of maturity and patriotism in discharging their responsibilities by ensuring that they provide adequate security to residents.
“The success of Saturday election depends on decision of security agents to be neutral so as to provide a level playing ground for all participating political parties.
“Security agents should resist any attempt by political party or politicians to hijack them.
“ The security agents should ensure that INEC and adhoc staff as well as voting sensitive materials are given adequate protection so as to achieve free and fair election,” he said.
The UNN-ASUU chairman advised the candidates not to see the election as a do- or-die affair but bear in mind that it is only God that crowns a king.
“Accept the result of the election in good faith; if you did not win on Saturday, you will win in future, avoid any act that will throw the state into violence, before, during and after the election ,” he said.
Landlord evicts tenants for supporting APC
A landlord (names withheld), has reportedly evicted tenants from his house in Uzea community in Esan North East Local government area for allegedly supporting the All Progressives Congress, (APC) against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The tenants, Mr Sylvester Chukwuemeka, Okosun Christiana and Ogbeide Elizabeth who lamented their ordeal, said they have suffered untold hardship from their landlord for not supporting the PDP which the landlord was sympathetic to.
One of the tenants, Okosun Christiana who spoke in her native dialect (Esan) said, “We don’t have any problem, just party differences, he told us he wanted everyone in the house to support PDP, because he is a member of the party, but I refused.
“I told him that I have been in APC for a very long time, that even if the PDP is buying me a car, I prefer to remain in the APC, and he said since that is my stand, I should consider myself evicted from his house”, she narrated.
Also speaking, another of the evicted tenants, Sylvester Chukwuemeka, revealed that his rents were up to date, adding that the action of their landlord negates the principle of fair play and justice just because they refused to support the PDP.
“I don’t understand why the landlord will just decide to drive us out of his house because we are not supporting PDP. I pay my rent regularly and is not fair to me.
“The state government should come to our aid because I don’t know when it became a crime to support a party”, he said.
Chukwuemeka called on relevant authorities to come to their aid just as the Acting Executive Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Emmanuel Usoh, has given the evicted tenants some bags of cement and money to build their own houses.
The said landlord could not be reached, as family members at his residence said he travelled, but however confirmed that the evicted persons were previous tenants in the house.
