Youths present 11-point position on election
A coalition of over 40 youth groups in Edo State, on Wednesday, presented 11-point position of the July 14 governorship election in the
state, among which is its insistence on the application of the principle of one-man, one-vote in the election.
It will be recalled that the state polity had been heated up of recent, in preparation for the governorship election holding in the state on July 14.
Members of the coalition, which made its position known at a press conference in Benin City, the Edo State capital, said they were opposed to falsification of election results, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voter register to be used in the conduct of the election must be authentic and free of alterations.
The coalition also demanded that INEC displayed the voter register at the various polling units before the election, just as it called on the commission to act in line with all rules and regulations and not according to the whims and caprices of a few individuals.
The groups said they rejected the announcement of results different from the votes of the people and that they also stood against the use of fake mobile police and army officers, with a view to deceiving the people.
The coalition of youth groups further said they would not fail to explore every force at their disposal to spring surprise, if the election fell short of the expectation of the people.
The groups included Edo Youth Congress, Youth Emancipation Crusade, Democracy for Progress, Edo Youth Political Vanguard, Edo Youth for Good Governance and Hope for Youth Movement.
Edo group vows to unseat Oshiomhole
EDO Coalition for Democracy and Good Governance (ECODAGG) has vowed to ensure the eviction of Governor Adams Oshiom-hole-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) administration from the state Government House in November, over what they described as “apparent neglect, use and dump and abandonment since the inception of the present administration in the state.”
Members of ECO-DAGG, a breakaway wing of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASA-CO) in Edo State, made this known while declaring their support and determination to ensure the emergence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Major-General Charles Airhiav-bere (retd), as governor in the July 14 election.
Coordinator of ECO-DAGG, Tony Erha, expressed disappointment, saying all they laboured and struggled to bring the Oshiomhole to power had been an exercise in futility, adding that those who fought against them before, during and after Oshiomhole became governor were the ones now calling the shots.
Erha said their choice of Airhiavbere was informed by the conviction that he was equipped and ready to work as an administrator of repute, having held very sensitive positions in the military, in addition to his humility, closeness to the people, industry and focus.
According to him, “we feel that in this present circumstance, Airhiavbere will prove the best governor, because we can see in him a man who is ready to work; a man who is seriously loaded, a man who is a prudent manager of resources.”
Police are ready for the election —AIG Zone
5THE Assistant In
spector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone 5, comprising Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, Mr Hashimu Argungun, on Wednesday, expressed the readiness of the police for the July 14 governorship election in Edo State, just as he warned that any act of violence pertaining to the election will be dealt with.
The AIG, who gave the warning at the Zone 5 headquarters in Benin City, while briefing journalists on the readiness and preparedness of the police for the election, advised politicians to desist from actions and utterances that could lead to crisis before, during and after the election.
“The Nigeria Police in the zone would not condone any act of lawlessness.
Politicians are advised in their own interest to desist from the use of political thugs, as anyone caught will be dealt with decisively in accordance with the law,” he said.
According to him, the police were not oblivious of the plans by some would-be troublemakers, who would want to cause disaffection amongst the people, saying that “this group of people are professional troublemakers who, for their selfish motives, create crisis.”
The AIG further said the police had a duty to ensure protection of lives and property of all residents of the state and visitors as well, just as he added that “we are fully ready to discharge our constitutional duty, in conjunction with other sister security agencies.”
Argungun appealed for the cooperation of all stakeholders in the forthcoming election, so that together, they could ensure free, fair and credible election devoid of rancour.
Oshiomhole’s accident: Edo PDP deserves apology
—Group
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths in Akoko-Edo in Edo State have asked the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to apologise to the PDP over the false allegation levelled against the party, aftermath of the accident involving the convoy of the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
The group, speaking through the youth leader, Mr Topa Okunmayin and the ward publicity secretary, Mr Kayode Alabi, at Ugboshi-ele, while on a campaign rally, said the report of the police investigation, which was published in national dailies, had vindicated the PDP.
“We deserve an apology from the ACN.
You will recall that after the accident, Oshiomhole and the state Commissioner for Information Mr Odion, accused the Edo PDP of masterminding the accident to assassinate the state governor.
“Now that the investigation has proved that the lorry driver and the owner are card-carrying members of ACN and that the state governor drove himself in company with the majority leader in the state house of Assembly, Honourable Philip Shuaibu, the ACN has been silent over the issue.
“We are saying it is unacceptable playing politics with the death of the people and, therefore, call for immediate apology and explanation of why the governor drove himself in the convoy,” the statement stated.
