By Ehichioya Steve Odion
The present open boasting by the All Progressives Congress, APC, members across the state of an alleged plan to rig the forthcoming September 21 election has started to generate reactions from stakeholders and other residents in the state.
The people have expressed their disappointment at such evil plans to deny Edo people their rights to choose those to govern them in a free and fair election.
At the heart of the planned rigging of the poll is the devious plot to deny Edo people the much desired good governance which the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Asue Ighodalo has promised to Institutionalize and made a culture in the State.
They however vowed to resist such plan by any group or individuals to subvert the popular will of the people. They averred that the process should ba allowed to throw up the most popular person amongst the candidates of the various political parties participating in the coming election.
It is no longer news that Edo APC is parading unpopular candidate that has so far not been able to impress the people based on his poor performance at campaign rallies and the inability to meet with the people one on one for on the stop engagement with the people to sell his programmes of action to them.
But the party, APC having realized that the game is over looking at their poor performance in all areas of selling their candidate to the people of Edo State, have allegedly resorted to a propaganda campaign boasting that they have received the assurance from the power that be to assist them in winning the election which ever away it can be achieved.
The people see this move as a big embarrassment to the enlightened people of Edo State who are presently looking forward to someone with empathy, and capacity to turn the state's economy around for the betterment of the people, and not a candidate who has not been able to tell the people why he is in the race.
Interaction with the residents of Edo State shows that majority of the people are strongly against any plan that will compromise a Free, fair and credible election in the state. They are of the opinion that any group or individuals having such evil plans should have a change of heart and shelve it as Edo people are not ready to accept any manipulated results to favour unmerited candidate in the election.
They particularly queried the rationale behind such move when the people in the state are already being suffocated under the hardship foisted on them by the APC led federal government. They unanimously frowned against having APC government in Edo State, adding that a vote for APC is automatically a vote for poverty, hardship and suffering.
They acknowledged the matured way the candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo has been going about his electioneering campaign meeting the young and old people, selling his manifesto to them on how he intends to end their sufferings by embarking on meaningful programmes that will enhance their living standard.
They promised to come out en mass to support the candidate of their choice without being intimidated under any guise.
They particularly called on the INEC not to succumb to their pressure and stay above board and reject the plot to use them to manipulate the election come September 21.
The people trust in INEC's ability to resist such moves allow the wish of the people prevail in electing the candidate of their choice whom they believe will remove them from current abject poverty brought to the land by the APC.
They reiterated the need for those planning to use the federal might through the INEC to subvert the will of the people on September 21 to have a rethink as such may create tension and unrest which wont be palatable at this critical time when the people are barely able to feed themselves and are yearning for a good government that will save them from this present calamity and restore their hope .
They look forward to a competitive election devoid of manipulations which they expected to be conducted by INEC to meet the standard of international community.
They called on all the security agents to let the residents of Edo State be by giving them all the protection they need before, during and after the election without taking side with any political party through acts of intimidation of voters on election day. They warned that any attempts to harass and intimidate law abiding voters who want to perform their civic rights may result to serious crisis as Edo people are very determined and ready to vote for candidates of their choice and also defend their votes.
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