The All Progressives Congress declared on Friday that it was pleased with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s choice to abstain from the Edo State governorship race scheduled for September 21.
In a statement, Kassim Afegbua, the director of media for the Edo APC Campaign Council, revealed this and expressed optimism that the governor’s choice will backfire.
“We have just learned that Governor Obaseki has threatened to boycott the gubernatorial election on Saturday unless the State Commissioner of Police and the Resident Electoral Commissioner are removed from their positions,” the message stated.
Governor Obaseki’s demands for the September 21 election in Edo State are criticized as rogue, ludicrous, ridiculous, self-serving, egocentric, and insulting to the people. They believe Obaseki is trying to dictate election terms and choose his referee in a contest with his godson, Asue Ighodalo, as a candidate. The people of Edo have full confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police, who have been working diligently to ensure a fair and credible election. Obaseki’s latest threat is based on frustration, as he seems to forget the meaning of ‘NO’ and his threats to withdraw.
The Nigerian People’s Congress (APC) has praised the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, for disbanding the Edo Security Network, which had been operating like a rogue squad in the state. They are committed to a peaceful, free, and fair election and welcome the PDP’s planned boycott of the September 21 gubernatorial election. The APC argues that Governor Obaseki and his godson are creating self-serving rules for themselves, and that elections are not a do-or-die affair but a process of selecting who will move Edo State forward. The party also criticizes Governor Obaseki’s latest threat, which appears to stem from frustration and forgets the meaning of ‘NO’. The APC urges its members to remain calm and confident as they look forward to victory for the APC.
“Governor Obaseki and his godson are merely attempting to enact regulations that would benefit themselves. Elections are a process to choose the people who will lead Edo State forward, not a do-or-die situation.
We are sure that we will win the election and the government. We will infer that Obaseki and the PDP are just failed politicians trying to turn things around if they retract their threat of a boycott.
The governor’s special adviser on media projects, Crusoe Osagie, responded by saying that Afegbua’s remarks made him sound like the police’s spokesperson and that his position demonstrated deliberate complicity.
“The Edo State Government has taken note of Kassim Afegbua, the Director of Media for the Edo APC Campaign Council,’s naive and immature attempts to misinterpret the events of September 12 concerning the signing of the Peace Accord ahead of the upcoming governorship election.”
Nigerian Police Inspector General Afegbua has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of boycotting the September 21 election in Edo State. The PDP refrained from signing the Peace Accord until conditions for a level playing field were met, which was a reasonable request under the circumstances. Afegbua’s interpretation of the signing is criticized for his low level of understanding and carelessness. The Inspector General of Police is now rushing to charge individuals he has held in custody for nearly two months, following the PDP’s refusal to sign the Peace Accord.
The remarks made by Afegbua suggest that the APC and the police are working together. His praise for the Police Chief validates the APC’s and the Police’s nefarious electoral intentions.
We remain steadfast in our belief that the APC is using the IGP and his “Rogue Contingent” to carry out its plan to employ “Federal Might” to rig the election. On September 21, the people of Edo State must oppose this.
When election day draws near, the people of Edo State will only be guaranteed justice if there are fair and equal conditions for every voter.
