Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, yesterday, said the conduct of the Edo and Ondo states governorship polls will show the country what to expect in the 2023 general elections.
Secondus stated this in Abuja when he received members of Ogun State chapter of the party.
He said the conduct of the September 19 and October 10 Edo and Ondo governorship polls respectively, will show whether Nigerians would have faith in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2023 polls
The PDP leader, who said the country was sitting on a keg of gun powder and in dire need of peace, charged President Muhammadu Buhari to show commitment to the conduct of free and fair elections.
He noted that with the myriad of political, economic and security challenges confronting the country, the only way to ensure peace was through credible election.
Secondus also urged President Buhari to direct the security agencies to channel their energies to fighting Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal elements rather than allegedly fighting for the ruling party during elections.
“We use this opportunity to call on Mr. President, Edo election is coming. The people are depressed because of both the political and economic situation in the country. The only way people will have hope is for Mr. President and INEC to conduct free and fair election. We don’t want what happened in several states to happen in Edo because Nigeria will be heading to a place that is unknown. How can a country continue to conduct its affairs as if we are in a banana republic.”
Secondus added “Edo State election is going to be one of the elections to be conducted, after that it will be Ondo. It will show us clearly what we are expecting in 2023; whether Nigerians will have faith in the electoral process and INEC as a commission.
“Security agencies should go and fight Boko Haram and bandits and stop fighting for APC during elections. Our security agencies are not members of the APC. The President should live by example and show Nigerians that elections can be conducted free and fair. Some of these elections are magic. PDP believes in the unity of this country.
“We have no other country than Nigeria. One way to achieve peace is through free and fair elections. It is not propaganda. If you conduct free and fair elections, you want peace. If you don’t conduct free and fair elections, it is crisis. Our President left from here and he travelled all the way to Mali.” What happened in Mali?”
“I believe that his visit to Mali will have informed him that there is need and absolute need to have free and fair elections.”