The All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed Governor Godwin Obaseki’s decision to boycott the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, as stated by Kassim Afegbua, Director of Media for the Edo APC Campaign Council on Friday.
Afegbua expressed hope that Obaseki’s boycott would negatively impact him, describing the governor’s demands for the removal of the State Commissioner of Police and the Resident Electoral Commissioner as “rogue, ludicrous, ridiculous, self-serving, egocentric, and palpably insulting to the good people of Edo State.”
The APC’s statement emphasized that Governor Obaseki, who is not a candidate in the election, is attempting to influence the election process by dictating terms, despite both the Resident Electoral Commissioner and Commissioner of Police working diligently to ensure a fair and credible election. Afegbua commended these officials for resisting Obaseki’s attempts to sway them and praised the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for disbanding the Edo Security Network, which had been perceived as a rogue squad.
Afegbua’s comments also aimed to assure APC members of their confidence in winning the election and to call for calm and confidence. He characterized the PDP’s boycott threat as a sign of desperation and predicted that if the PDP withdrew the boycott, it would indicate their failure as politicians.
In response, Special Adviser on Media Projects to Governor Obaseki Crusoe Osagie accused Afegbua of colluding with the police and misrepresenting the situation. Osagie criticized Afegbua for interpreting the Peace Accord signing event as a boycott and clarified that the PDP had not boycotted the election but had chosen not to sign the Peace Accord until certain conditions were met to ensure a level playing field.
Osagie also questioned the timing of the Inspector General of Police’s decision to charge individuals previously held in custody and accused the APC of colluding with the police to manipulate the election. He reiterated the PDP’s call for a fair election environment and condemned what he viewed as attempts to use federal power to influence the outcome.
The exchange highlights the contentious nature of the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, with both parties accusing each other of unfair practices and manipulation.
