ESAN NORTH EAST ELECTION: Let the will of the people prevail

Democracy is said to be the government of the people by the people and for the people. This simply means that it is the people who determine who governs them. We are concerned with the events that transpired in Esan North East re-run election where Sam Oboh of Action Progressive Congress (APC) was hurriedly declared the winner by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) Chairman, Solomon Ogoh in the presence of only APC members, while collation was still going on at Uromi, a bogus result was announced in EDSIEC Headquarters in Benin; This itself negates the philosophy and spirit of democratic modus-operandi. As a first hand observer of the election in the local government area, it was observed that the election was conducted in a very peaceful cum conducive atmosphere as the electorates exercise their civic responsibilities. We were flabbergasted when the Chief Security Officer of the state, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole was accusing the police of aiding electoral malpractices; we wonder the source of such mendacious and ridiculous information geared towards bamboozling the public and tarnishing the image of the police unnecessarily. More worrisome in this whole exercise is the expeditious declaration of results while collations were still on going in Uromi which is an indication that the ruling APC had already fabricated the results which gave APC a total vote of 12, 672 and PDP 3, 314, this figures are not the true reflection of what transpired in the election, it is more disheartening that PDP won all the councillorship seats and the Chairmanship was won by the APC. This is not unconnected with the fervent desperation of the governor to ensure that all the eighteen local government councils go to his party in order to emerge as the godfather of Edo politics at the detriment of the mantra of one man, one vote and let the people lead which brought the Governor to Dennis Osadebey Avenue.

Our positions are:
1. That the true winner of the election should be declared in the

interest of peace and security because the figures declared by EDSIEC are unacceptable, ridiculous, scandalous, malicious and ludicrous.

2. That the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be

made to conduct all elections in the country to avoid electoral rascality of State Governors.

3. That Solomon Ogoh, the EDSIEC Chairman should be arrested and

prosecuted for allowing himself to be used by political vampires in the state.

4. That a vote of no confidence has been passed on the Governor for

negatively influencing the outcome of the election at the detriment of the good people of Esan North East who came out en-bloc to vote candidate of their choice.

5. That the good people of Uromi should be united in reclaiming their

stolen mandate from mandate desperadoes and thieves in the state.

6. In a nutshell, we want to commend the Commissioner of Police,

for ensuring a peaceful electoral exercise in Esan North East local government council. Your labour shall never be in vain.

Signed
Osazee Edigin - Pan Nigerian Youth Congress
Marxist Kola Edokpayi -Talakawas Parliament