Edo guber: APC asks PDP to imbibe issue-based campaign

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to imbibe issue-based campaign and desist from alleged plot to rig the poll.

The Edo State election has been fixed for September 19, 2020, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while political parties have already commenced campaigns in line with INEC guidelines.

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The APC, in a statement on Tuesday by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said the PDP and its candidate, Godwin Obaseki, should emulate President Muhammadu Buhari on free and fair electoral process.

“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.

“We call on partisans, particularly the PDP 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, power now belongs to the people and during elections, votes count.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections is a solid pointer that under the current administration, the days of stolen and procured electoral mandates are fast fading.

“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,” the APC said.