Residents worry over Edo guber primary
Ahead of the governorship primary election in Edo State, some electorates have expressed concerns over the tensed and acrimonious atmosphere in the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed June 19 for its governorship primary election while that of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is for June 22.
But the intrigues and horse-trading as well as other developments going on in the state, especially within the APC, has already created tension, anxiety and apprehension amongst the electorate.
Some of the electorate who spoke said the early signs indicate that the electoral process could be rancorous going by the utterances and body language of the political actors especially within the ruling party.
According to them, the concerns are mostly hinged on the ongoing battle of supremacy between Governor Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole over who gets the party’s flag.
For instance, the Obaseki’s faction led by Aslem Ojezua, had dragged the National Working Committee of the party and the national chairman, Adams Oshiomole, to court over the waiver granted to one of the party aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who defected to the party in 2019.
In the same vein, members of the Oshiomhole’s faction also took Governor Obaseki to a court in Abuja over alleged certificate forgery.
In the APC, aspirants that have obtained forms to contest the party’s primaries include Governor Godwin Obaseki, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu, former deputy governor, Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obaze and Mathew Iduoriyekemwen.
For the PDP, those that will be slugging it out for the ticket include Kenneth Imasuagbon, Gideon Ikhile and a member of the House of Representatives, Ogbeide Ihama.
An electorate, Osasuwa Elvis, said his concern was not about who wins the election but a peaceful process.
“My worry is that there could be violence during the election due to the tension already created in the build-up to the election. Members of the APC are already fighting themselves and this is a sign that there could be violence before, during and after the election,” Elvis said.
He however called on politicians in the state to play the game by the rules as no election is worth the life of anybody.
On his part, Osazee Edigin also expressed fears of possible violence during the APC primary given the emergence of two camps that are doing everything possible to ensure their candidate emerge.
“From what has been happening in the build up to the primary election, the anticipated violence is basically in the APC and I don’t think the PDP is having any issue. So their primary will be peaceful and I don’t think there will be violence in the main election,” he said.
According to him, the leaders of the party should call the warring factions together and settle them so that there will not be violence during the primary.
Edigin who is the spokesman of Edo State Civil Society Organizations, said people are also worried about the issue of COVID-19, which which has limited the number of people that can gather especially during the electioneering.
On the role of security agents, he said, “When it comes to issue of political violence, the security agents can do little because of the nature issues on ground; they will be accused of supporting one group against the other. But it is their responsibility to secure lives and property so that people will not lose their lives due to political interests”.
He called on the politicians to play by the rules and put their house in order.
Speaking in the same vein, Lucky Isibor, said his concern was that they might be violence in the primaries election due to the ongoing infighting within some of the major parties.
“From the body language of the aspirants and their supporters, there is are indications that there would be violence during the conduct of the primaries.
“When you go to social media, the supporters of both aspirants are already calling war which is not necessary. All that you hear from them is antagonism, insults and attack.
“Where I foresee crisis is during the primaries because, there is a law in place by the state government prohibiting gathering of crowd but the other faction may not obey that and in the process, violence may erupt in the state”, he said.
On his part, Agho Omobude, said the people of the state are very worried and tensed up because the two major actors who were hitherto good friends are not on each others’ jugulars.
“We would have wished that this period and this season never came; if it were to be between the APC and the PDP, it would have been a different ball game entirely but this infighting is a big concern. This is APC versus APC and it is about the father and his son fighting each other”, he said.
He said there were reports of people arming themselves to foment trouble in the build up to the election.
According to him, “It would be very painful to see our friends, brothers and relatives lose their lives because of the very microscopic few who have been benefiting from the helm of the affairs”.
“But as it is, what can we do because INEC has already come out with the timetable and the election must go on.But our worries is that there should be no loss of life and property”, he said.
While calling on parents to monitor their children at this period to avoid be used to perpetuate violence during the primary and main election, he called on politicians to play by the rules.
He also urged the security agencies to beef up security and ensure those warming up to perpetrate violence are checkmated.