President Muhammadu Buhari has cautioned all political parties and aspirants for the Edo governorship poll, to behave responsibly during the election process on Saturday, September 19, 2020.
In a statement released by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, Buhari commended electorates, political parties, polling officials, and security personnel to shun from the “the do-or-die mentality to politics.”
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“I am passionately committed to free and fair elections, but my own commitment is not enough if other actors at ground zero refuse to abide by the rules. I want to see democratic standards in the country raised higher at every level, but these cannot be achieved when politicians resort to do-or-die methods to gain power by any means or machination.
“The do-or-die mentality to politics is a threat to free and fair elections because the actors are more focused on winning than caring about a fair outcome that reflects the will of the people, said Buhari.
Moreover, the president called on all political parties and their aspirants to adhere to the election procedures and maintain order. Buhari further commended polling officials and security agents “to remain neutral to ensure free and fair elections and avoid any actions capable of compromising the integrity of the elections.”
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He added that “conducting free and fair election is one of my main concerns for our democracy, and I want this commitment to be one of the legacies I will leave behind when I depart office.” Reports have revealed that the National Electoral Commission has announced that it is fully prepared to conduct the poll on Saturday.
Furthermore, it would be recalled that the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Godwin Obaseki, who are main contenders, had signed a peace accord ahead of the poll.
