Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the Edo Governorship election as a model to create hope in the electoral process.
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The governor made the appeal on Thursday in a statement by Paulinus Nsirim, Commissioner for Information and Communications, made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
According to the statement, Wike, also Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Campaign Council for the Edo election, made the appeal during a Live Television Programme in Port Harcourt.
He stated that the outcome of the election would provide hope for the general elections of 2023.
“Let everyone that loves this country ensure that the Sept. 19, 2020 election is credible, free and fair.
“The Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), should show Nigerians that they can support credible elections.
“INEC should ensure that result sheets are not in the hands of individuals. Security Agencies should not whisk away collation officers and later bring them back with cooked results.
“Complete manipulation of the electoral process causes violence. No politician will cause violence if the Police and INEC do not compromise,’’ it stated.
According to Wike, there will be a high turnout of voters on Saturday because the people of Edo are prepared to put an end to “godfatherism’’.
He stated that he carried out an independent assessment of Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s achievements and was quite satisfied that he would win the election convincingly.
The governor, who stated that no amount of money or intimidation would make the people of Edo not to vote massively for Obaseki, urged the people to be vigilant and protect their votes so that their will would not be truncated.
He also alleged that “the agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is to win at all cost for us to go to the tribunal’’.
The governor also commended the U.S. and the United Kingdom for reportedly placing Visa ban on election riggers in the country.
“They should go ahead and publish their names so that a lot of things will change in our electoral process.
“Election rigging is worse than armed robbery. So whatever sanctions that can be imposed will be highly welcomed by the PDP,’’ the statement added.