By Alltimepost.com
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ction Democratic Party (ADP), Edo State branch has alerted Edo people of an alleged plan by a notable Godfather, with a section of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to cause mayhem, falsify and rig the local government elections, taking place on March 3, 2018.At a press conference in Benin on Wednesday, ADP Chairman, Media & Strategy Committee, Comrade Tony Erha expressed concern about the alleged plan.
“We are disturbed and want to inform you all about the news reaching us that a notable Godfather, with a section of the Action Progressives Congress (APC), Edo state chapter, is bent on causing mayhem, falsifying and rigging the local government elections, taking place in the state, on March 3, 2018.
“This is against the principled stand of the Edo state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), that the same elections must be free and fair and devoid of violence.”
Yet again, he said, “we of the Edo State ADP, are surprised as to why Governor Obaseki is always obstructed from playing out his simple constitutional roles, such as he is the Leader of the Edo APC, and as in relation to the local government elections that are primary to the grassroots people.
“Are these not the same functions which the immediate past APC governor in the state, had performed unchallenged?”
According to him, it becomes a more dangerous example for the said APC cabal to be bent on continuing with their evil plans for the elections, despite that they have forced most opposition parties to boycott the elections.
“Ordinarily, the overbearing APC cabal ought to be grateful to the Edo ADP for giving the elections and EDSIEC a semblance of credibility, as it is fielding candidates and has encouraged some other opposition parties to participate in it, he said.
From the onset, Comrade Erha noted, Edo ADP had been encouraged by the due process and earnestness of Governor Obaseki to participate in the election.
Edo ADP also condemned as a monumental fraud, shame and disservice to the Edo voters the recent vote against the autonomy of the local government and the judiciary, by the Edo State House of Assembly members.
“This has further confirmed what is generally upheld that most of the lawmakers of the House do not represent their constituents, who voted them to power, but to safeguard their selfish interests and pockets,” he said.
The said APC cabal and the lawmakers, could always follow the Governor Obaseki’s principled stand and stop drawing the state backward to the past local government election exercises, where all sorts of impunity played out, he advised.
“Therefore, Edo ADP wishes to call on Governor Obaseki to continue to hold on to his principled stand of defending the Edo people at all times, as that is only where the true self honour lies. We also call on him, EDSIEC and the law enforcement agents to carry out its security activities during the elections without biases.”
Pointedly, he continued, Edo ADP stands by the ideals of democracy, good governance and the rule of law, and is determined to take the Edo people to the greater heights of life fulfillment.
“And we are poised to frustrate all the moves to install rubberstamps as elected local government executives and the use of the revocation of local government and judicial autonomies to continue to seize and embezzle local government funds.”
