Obaseki: If APC Doesn’t Allow Free, Fair Poll in Edo, It Will Trigger Crisis in Nigeria

•Again, court affirms Ighodalo PDP candidate

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has cleared his recent statement, where he warned that if the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) did not allow free and fair election in the State, it could trigger crisis in Nigeria.

But the governor was surprised that the APC in the state had tried to spin his comments to suggest that not allowing for a free and fair election would be a recipe for crisis in Nigeria.

Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, who clarified the view expressed by the governor during a recent political meeting in the state, accused the opposition party of trying to exploit the instrument of violence to influence the outcome of the September 21 governorship election in Edo.

Nehikhare said the governor spoke at a stakeholders meeting, on Sunday, July 21, 2024, in Benin City, the Edo State capital and warned that: “If a free and fair election is not allowed to hold sway in Edo State on September 21, 2024, it will trigger a major crisis in Nigeria.”

The statement by the commissioner stated: “The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to the negative spin that the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is fruitlessly attempting to put to the comments made by His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, at a stakeholders meeting, on Sunday, July 21, 2024, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.”

“For the records, we want to restate the comments of the governor on that occasion which is that: ‘If a free and fair election is not allowed to hold sway in Edo State on September 21, 2024, it will trigger a major crisis in Nigeria.

“Recall that on Thursday, July 18, 2024, ahead of the rally to inaugurate the APC National Campaign Council, in Benin City, which was held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, the party assembled a large number of people believed to be thugs, most of them bearing firearms around the precincts of the Benin Airport, on Airport Road, Benin City, to cause mayhem in the State, resulting in the unfortunate death of a police officer, Inspector Akor Onuh attached to MOPOL 45 Abuja and the wanton destruction of properties and injuries to several citizens who were going about their lawful businesses.

“The mob then moved around the city, attacking other institutions, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Secretariat, inflicting violence and terror on the lawyers in their secretariat, with one of the lawyers, Mr. Israel Idahosa, being severely injured and his property destroyed.

“They also intimidated and harassed private citizens, who were putting on any material that had the insignia of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, within the Benin metropolis.

“As they say, the morning shows the day and the APC has clearly shown their plan for the September 21 governorship election in the State, which is to cause mayhem, make the State ungovernable, and take advantage of the chaos to manipulate the forthcoming governorship election.

“We, however, want to advise the APC to, for once, read the mood of the nation and understand that with the current hardship, unattainable cost of living, and pervasive hunger in the country, a slightly irresponsible behaviour by the political class can ignite a crisis that will have a domino effect and cause a conflagration across the nation.

“This note of caution is even more appropriate with the ominous threat of a nationwide protest with the potential to degenerate into a widespread breakdown of law and order.”

Again, Shuaibu Loses as A’Court Affirms Ighodalo’s Nomination as PDP Candidate

Meanwhile, former deputy governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has lost his bid to invalidate the nomination of Mr. Asue Ighodalo as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

Shaibu’s failure was sequel to the dismissal of his appeal against the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja, for want of merit.

His hope of clinching the party’s governorship ticket was first dashed by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on May 27, 2024, when the court in a judgement amongst others, held that he could not challenge the outcome of an election wherein he was not a participant.

About two months later, a three-member panel of the appellate court in a judgement held that, the appellant failed to advance any cogent and credible evidence why the decision of the trial court should be set aside.

Justice, A. M Lamido, who delivered the unanimous judgement yesterday, in the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, held that the trial court was right and unassailable in its ruling that the appellant did not satisfy the condition precedent before instituting the action and therefore, the suit was premature.

The appellate court also affirmed the trial court’s decision that Shaibu failed to prove his allegations of votes allocation against the respondents, adding that the conduct of an election as well as results are presumed regular until the contrary is proved and there was no evidence from the affidavit of the appellant to show votes were allocated to Ighodalo.

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal and slammed a cost of N1 million in favour of each of the respondents.