Esan elders and leaders, under the aegis of Esan Elders’ Forum, rose from a meeting weekend, where they reviewed the events that culminated in the postponement of Edo governorship election, with a resolution condemning the State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for portraying the state as a safe haven for terrorists and militants.
In their communiqué, signed by the Forum’s Director of Publicity, Mr Law Odiase, they said that “the deliberate efforts to portray Edo state as a safe haven for terrorists and militants by Governor Oshiomhole on CHANNELS Television on Thursday, 8th September, 2016, is condemnable and considered as the height of hypocrisy by a man who is supposed to be the Chief Security Officer of the State.”
The meeting said that the postponement of the election from Saturday, September 10 to Wednesday, September 28 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), acting on a trumped-up security advice by the Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) was not in the best interest of the generality of Edo people, pointing out that the shift to a weekday was capable of disenfranchising registered voters in the State.
According to them, “the security report which formed the basis of the postponement despite the dispatch of 25,000 strong team of the Nigerian Police Force, military and paramilitary forces is an indictment on the security agencies in Nigeria, which cannot guarantee security for a state election.
“Edo state remains one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and must not be labeled a militant or terrorist state because of governorship election by overzealous and ridiculous politicians.”
They declared that politics is not war and condemned the “violent and organized assassination attempts on High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Hon. Pius Odubu and, recently, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu,” saying these acts “portend greater danger for our democracy.”
They called on President Muhammadu Buhari to be a true statesman, play less partisan politics and let the people of Edo state to elect the candidate of their choice as governor.
According to them, “The problems of the lingering economic recession and its crushing effects on the people of Nigeria, irrespective of party affiliations, should be the focus of the Federal Government, as Nigerians are now desperate for the desirable change promised.”
They urged Edo people not to vote for a surrogate candidate but “a governorship candidate who is articulate and able to grapple with the present reality, able to present himself and his party’s manifesto; a candidate who can rescue us from the multiple tax regimes in Edo state.”
Besides, the Esan elders and leaders appealed to Esan people to remain united behind their true leaders, notably Chief Anthony Akhakon Anenih CFR (The Iyasele of Esan Land) and vote wisely for the PDP in the rescheduled Governorship election on September 28.
“Esan people should not be deceived again. Don’t sell your votes today and suffer tomorrow,” they pleaded, reminding them to rally round their son, Hon John Yakubu, who is the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
