(File photo) Godwin Obaseki, APC governorship candidate at a rally

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The shift in the Edo State gubernatorial election earlier scheduled for Saturday September 10, 2016, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has elicited mixed reaction by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is even as representatives of the European Union (EU), the British Council, have urged all stakeholders in the rescheduled gubernatorial election to embrace peace.

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Chairman of APC in the state, Barr. Anslem Ojezua, expressed the party’s position over the postponement Friday afternoon in Benin, at a world press conference, attended by the party’s flag bearer in the election, Godwin Obaseki and other leaders of the party.

He said the shift in the date for the election was announced without due consultation with the critical stakeholders, including his party.

“Such an important decision as postponement of gubernatorial election which had involved several months of active campaigning would be done after extensive consultation with all the relevant Stakeholders as was done on the 7 th of September 2016 when we all agreed that the election should go ahead; admittedly without knowledge of the very strong reservations expressed by the security agencies.

“We believe that the timing and mode of communication by the security agencies could have been better handled having regards to the very hard work and huge resources deployed towards the election by all concerned. On our part, we have traversed the nooks and crannies of the State in the course of our electioneering campaigns and we have been able to effectively market our candidates and our manifesto. In that same process our members have been fully sensitized and mobilized in readiness for the election culminating in our final campaign at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on the 6th of September which recorded the highest level of mobilization ever witnessed in that facility,” Ojezua said, adding that it would therefore be fair to admit that the decision has adversely affected the party somewhat.

He however noted that having regards to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral act, the party was obliged to defer to the decision of INEC particularly when ”security threats” have been cited as the reason for the postponement.

“Although we do not have the details from the security agencies we have, in the past, drawn attention to the influx of militants into Edo State from neighboring States during the Continuous Voters Registration exercise,” Ojezua said.

To buttress the security implication cited by the security agencies, the APC Chairman mentioned the case of a man arrested at Ologbo, in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the state and charged to Court, saying that “a host of others made it without detection; those ones must be lurking around various locations within our State even as we speak.

“Data capturing machines were found to have been given to unauthorized persons to carry out illegal registration; a case in point is that of Alhaji Nakowa, a known PDP chieftain in Etsako Central, who was arrested with some unscrupulous INEC staff while engaged in illegal registration acts in a private residence in the middle of the night.

“All these, taken with the reported threat by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Nwike to the effect that the APC people should go and write their will should be a source of concern to any right thinking person. You recall that the last time the same man issued the same threat in Port Harcourt several people lost their lives including Youth Corpers who had been deployed to assist in the exercise in that State.

“Elections have largely been peaceful in Edo State since 2007 until the sudden interest of the Governors of Rivers State and Delta State who are hell bent on realizing the long standing obsession of an individual to rule this State by all means. The postponement, therefore, provides an opportunity for the security agencies to address these concerns in addition to whatever other threats they may have discovered.

“We also note that this puts paid to the matter relating to our children participating in the ongoing GCE examinations who were to be displaced by the postponed election. Finally we wish to appeal to all our party members, supporters, sympathizers and indeed all citizens of our great State to show understanding at this time because security of lives and property must take priority over political aspiration,” Ojezua said.

The British Council and European Union (EU) on Friday, in Benin, sued for the conduct of peaceful Governorship election in Edo state.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ben James, Political Counsel at the British High Commission and Mr Richard Young, Deputy Head of Delegation, EU, have appealed to all stakeholders in the Edo state governorship election to eschew violence and embrace peace.

‎They made the appeal during a courtesy visit on the governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Godwin Obaseki, where the called for increase in communication between the political actors, security agencies and the INEC.‎

According to James, “Our concern is that the elections on the 28th of September are held peaceful, conclusive and credible. And that all the institutions, the parties, INEC, the police and other security agencies does everything they can to make sure the people of Edo can decide who the next governor would be.

“We members of the international community are very keen and sure that the 28 of September should be peaceful, free and fair and should be supported.

“I think the important thing is that the institutions prepare themselves for the new date and tensions are coming there are some tension we have seen them ourselves.”‎

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On his part, Mr. Young noted that “it is important that the people respect leadership and the leadership preaches peace. Peace is very important that people realise that we build up to 28th, with peace in mind and the election is held in a peaceful environment.

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“We came here to discuss the postponement of the governorship election and to make a number of appeals for the increase contact with the political parties and INEC and the police and the security agencies.They should ensure that a careful ground is laid for the election to take place smoothly and calmly in a democratic and credible on Wednesday 28th of September.‎

“The need to have a sense that good communication between all those different actors, political parties, INEC, Police and security services is paramount, to ensure that the election takes place smoothly and calmly in a peaceful manner on September 28.”‎

Responding, the APC governorship hopeful noted; “for them and me (EU and British Council), we are on the same page that whatever is required to have a peaceful election is what we ensure and insist on.”

He added that the postponement of the poll was certainly not convenient, as they have spent so much of time and money to prepare for it.

“It is not convenient, but that is where we have found ourselves, we are okay with it if that is going to protect lives and properties. We have to live with that no matter the inconvenience,” he said. ‎