Edo 2024: Group Demands Governor Obaseki Be Placed on Watchlist

By Akinwale Kasali

With less than six days to the October 21, 2024, Edo State Governorship Election, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate, CPPM, a Civil Society Organisation has demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must conduct a free, fair and credible election.

CPPM made the demand in a press statement issued and signed on Monday,16th, September, 2024, by its Executive Director Nelson Ekujumi. It expressed it’s displeasure and condemnation in of the pockets of violence that has trailed the political campaigns in the State.

According to the statement, the group asserted that: “We have absolute confidence in the ability and competence of the Electoral Umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair and credible election which can only be achieved by all the stakeholders playing by the rules of engagement, because INEC alone cannot do it”.

The organization charged INEC to remain focused, professional and unbiased in the discharge of it’s functions and not allow the usual campaign of blackmail and calumny against it at every election season, to derail or weaken it’s resolve to conduct a successful election like it has always done.

It also called on the security agencies who are also at the receiving end of the smear allegations of all sorts just like INEC, to remain committed to its core functions of maintaining law and order, before, during and after the elections.

The group charged the Media and the accredited observer organizations to maintain neutrality and professionalism in the discharge of their functions during the elections in order to help deepen the tenets of democracy.

The electorate were admonished to eschew violence and keep the peace, before, during and after the election for the progress and prosperity of Edo State which should be uppermost in the minds of every Edolites. The voters were urged to come out enmasse on election day to cast their vote for the candidates of their choice peacefully and orderly.

According to CPPM, “We demand that the political parties participating in the election educate their members on the non-negotiable need to keep the peace before, during and after election”. “We urge dissatisfied parties and candidates with the outcome of the election, to seek redress via the civilized means of engagement and refrain from provoking a breakdown of law and order”.

However, the group condemned the utterances and conduct of the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki who they allege continues to fan the embers of violence in utter violation of his oath and disrespect for his office and wants it placed on record, that Mr. Obaseki should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order on election day or after.

“Sadly Mr. Obaseki has been reported by the media as promising to make the election a do or die affair and so we are demanding that he be placed on security watchlist as an instigator of violence.

“We equally want to remind the good people of Edo State, Nigerians and the international community, that in September 2020 when Mr. Obaseki was seeking re-election for a second term, on the day of voting, after casting his ballot at his polling station in the morning, Mr. Obaseki made all sorts of allegations of bias and compromise against INEC and the Nigeria Police Force, only for the same Mr. Obaseki to make a 360° u-turn and described the same election he had earlier described as a fraud and compromised, as the best election ever conducted by INEC and went on to heap praises on INEC and the Police for their professionalism, after he was declared the winner and re-elected for a second term.

“As the good people of Edo State go to the polls on Saturday 21st of September 2024 to elect a new helmsman to direct the affairs of the state for the next four years, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) is eagerly looking forward to the conduct of a free, fair and credible election which can only be achieved by all the stakeholders observing the rules of engagements in order to deepen our democracy”.