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Despite the assurances from INEC, the Police and the military for a peaceful election on Saturday, some politicians, civil society organisations and political analysts are still expressing their doubts since the campaigns could not be described as peaceful and without incidents and loss of lives. But the election will still hold and the expectation of all the stakeholders is that the politicians and their supporters will heed the advice of security agencies to allow peace to prevail all through the election and after since election is not and cannot be treated as a war theater.
By Goddy Ikeh. .
ALL the agencies involved in the governorship election in Edo State have declared their readiness for the Edo governorship election on Saturday, September 21, 2024. As expected, the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has declared Friday, September 20, as public holiday to enable voters, especially civil and public servants and other electorates to travel to their voting areas ahead of the exercise.
Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu has assured that the Commission has made arrangements for the security of personnel, materials and citizens during the election.
He also assured that the accreditation tags for stakeholders are ready and there are reports that the distribution of electoral materials had taken place on Thursday, September 19, when the political campaigns officially closed.
He urged the stakeholders to play their part in ensuring peaceful and credible election, adding that “the days of impunity are over. Election is not war. People should not die because they want to elect a leader”.
In addition, the Police and the military have also assured voters and other residents in Edo State that there would be peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the election.
For instance, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has guaranteed peaceful elections in Edo State and urged the politicians to avoid raising unnecessary tensions.
General Musa, who met with Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, assured him that the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with sister security agencies, had the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to ensure a free, fair, credible, and peaceful governorship election in the state on Saturday, September 21.
Speaking when he and other top military officers deployed to Edo State on election duty, met with Gov. Obaseki, at the Government House, in Benin City, Musa stated that the Nigerian Armed Forces are in Edo State to support and make sure the election is peaceful. He called on political actors to ease tension because.
“As Nigerians, we should learn how to do things properly, as there is no need to raise tension because of the election. It’s not necessary. We have seen how other countries conduct elections peacefully, as people will be working, and doing their normal things while elections are on. I wonder why ours seem to be different.
“I want to assure you that members of the armed forces are here to support you in this election and make sure that it’s peaceful,” local media reports quoted Musa as saying.
“I am delighted to be here and my visit here today is to bring peace. Having watched unfolding events on television and tension within the state, I usually want to come a few days before any election to preach peace.
“Our mandate from Mr. President is that the Edo governorship election should be peaceful, free, fair and credible. This is what we are here to do. Everybody you see here is here to ensure that it’s done. That is the mandate from Mr. President.
“This is why I am here to see the troops and address them critically for them to understand the importance of free, fair and credible elections in Edo State. We give you the assurance that none of us are going to take sides, as we would ensure that there is peace in Edo State. “You would have noticed that it went well and we want to do the same here. The days of impunity are over. Election is not war. People should not die because they want to elect a leader,” he added.
Meanwhile, from the conclusion of the campaigns, it appears that the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Asue Ighodalo, is the preferred candidate out of the three leading candidates. Before the close of the elections, Ighodalo received the full backing of the leading activists, civil society groups, lawyers, journalists and political leaders from all parts of Edo State.
“Asue Ighodalo is the best man for the job. We’re looking forward to his election”, the professionals said. “Asue Ighodalo is serious minded, purposeful, people oriented and a leader that understands what governance is all about,” the groups said. The professionals also vowed to ensure the defeat of the All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo in the September 21 governorship election.
“Asue Ighodalo’s election is certain. The road ahead is so smooth.”
According to Maxwell Akhigbe, Convener of PollWatch Nigeria, the candidate of the PDP towers above other candidates and deserves Edo the votes of the Edo people. In his assessment of the PDP candidate, Akhigbe maintained that in the area of competence, Asue Ighodalo is a multi-discipline professional. “As a lawyer and economist, he towers above the pack with extensive public and private experience. A member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), he was a past Chairman of the Section on Business Law (2014-2016), International Bar Association (Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law Section (SEERIL)), Association of International Energy Negotiators, Institute of Directors Nigeria, Commercial Law and Taxation Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. A genuinely cosmopolitan professional and technocrat like Ighodalo is what Edo needs now to trigger massive industrialization of the state.
In the area of capacity and experience, he rated Ighodalo high. “His proven pedigree accentuates his capacity to lead and deliver results. His capacity is known to the public as he has been consistently ranked as a ‘Tier 1’ or ‘Leading lawyer’ in his practice areas by the top-level legal directories. He has delivered several presentations on diverse subjects, including a biannual seminar on “Contemporary Political History of Nigeria” at the Nigerian Leadership Initiative Future Leaders Class and the Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship (KIF) class, and also formerly served as a resource person at the CWC Gas Monetisation seminar. For over six years, he lectured on “The Duties and Responsibilities of Company Directors” and corporate governance issues at the Lagos Business School and the Institute of Directors’ seminars.
As demonstrated in his eventful career, Asue Ighodalo’s ability to manage pressure at top leadership levels primes him to handle the demands of the governorship. His experience and readiness will undoubtedly benefit the people of Edo State.
According to him, Asue has a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors. His experience as former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and as one who also served on the Board of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, Sterling Bank Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Levene Energy Group, Edo State Investment Summit (Alaghodaro), Global Mix Limited, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), among many other public and net-worth private equities, lends him to the job as governor.
And in the area of network of friends and Net worth, Ighodalo’s vast network of friends and associates is a solid social equity from which he can pool resources for Edo state in investment. In conclusion, he stated that voting for Ighodalo amounts to choosing a candidate who embodies competence, leadership capacity, broad experience, vertical and horizontal networks and prudent fiscal management. These attributes make him the ideal leader to propel Edo State towards a prosperous future.
Despite the intimidating credentials of the candidate of the PDP, the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Labour Party, LP, will cannot be written off. Both candidates are good in their own rights but what the PDP candidate enjoys the support of the governor and his cabinet, which is a major political factor.
However, some analysts are touting that the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, will enjoy the support of the federal government, but this argument was easily dismissed since the APC candidate in Bayelsa State was defeated by the PDP governor, despite his connection with federal might and being a former governor of Baylesa state. For the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata, the analysts believe that he is a good candidate for future elections and that his entry at this time cannot secure him the required votes to emerge victorious.
A.I
Sept. 20, 2024
Tags: Asue Ighodalo General Christopher Musa INEC Maxwell Akhigbe Senator Monday Okpebholo
