The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as supporters in Edo State have upped the ante in campaigning for votes ahead of Saturday?s election.

Among those canvassing for support for candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr Austin Osakue who has admonished to vote the PDP in the interest of the future of the state.

Addressing members of the Edo Volunteer Voters Assembly, on Monday, in a news conference tagged, ?Edo 2024 Election: Top big to rig,? in Benin, Osakue, said Saturday?s election is a contest between light and darkness.

According to the Osakue, PDP and its candidate Asue Ighodalo represents light, as he said the APC at the centre, has foisted untold hardship and sufferings to Nigerians, and should not be voted.

Osakue said the people should not to entertain any fear of violence but come out en masse on the election day to vote.

Vote for good governance, not stomach infrastructure, party ? Arigbe-Osula

On his part, a former deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Honourable Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula called on the people to ensure they vote for good governance, rather than on the line of political affiliation.

Arigbe-Osula, who made this call in an interview, maintained that the only thing that should drive the electorate should be the development of the state and not stomach infrastructure.

According to him, ?The only thing that should drive any of us to vote and to ask others to vote in this election is the development of our state and not stomach infrastructure that has made a lot of people to congregate under the APC despite the devastation they have foisted on our people nationwide. Nigeria has never been this insecure.

Arigbe-Osula threw his weight behind the candidate of the PDP, Ighodalo.

APC Reps caucus donates N200m to support Okpebholo

The APC caucus in the House of Representatives has pledged its support for Senator Monday Okpebholo and Honourable Dennis Idahosa, the party?s candidates for the election.

Both Senator Okpebholo and Honourable Idahosa are sitting members of the 10th National Assembly.

According to a statement issued by chairman of the APC Representatives? Fundraising Committee for the Edo election, Honourable Benjamin Kalu, the donation was made by individual members of the APC in the House.

The caucus expressed Its determination to ensure the party?s victory in Edo, as it described Okpebholo and Idahosa as esteemed colleagues who have consistently shown capacity and competence in their public service.

APC leader gives grants, mobilises for Okpebholo, Idahosa

A chieftain of the APC, Terry Igiebor has given grant of N50,000 each to 150 young people and women to empower them and called on them to vote Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, who, he said, is their grandson as his mother is from Ugboko in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

Igiebor said the grant would help those already in business to expand while those who intended to start small scale business could start with that.

He said the gesture was also in honour of his late father, Chief Emmanuel Igiebor, who he said had unwavering commitment to the development and prosperity of the people of Orhionmwon.

PDP diaspora campaign council expresses concern over intimidation, partisanship

The Asue Ighodalo/Osarodion Ogie?s Diaspora Campaign Council of the PDP in Edo raised concerns over alleged intimidation of voters and the role of law enforcement agencies ahead the election.

The deputy director-general of the Diaspora Campaign Council, Raymond Osaremen, raised the concern on Monday while addressing journalists in Benin.

Osaremen noted that if the concerns are left unaddressed, it could undermine ?the very foundations of our democracy and the trust the people placed in our electoral system.?

CPPM urges INEC to remain focused

A group, Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has asked INEC not to be distracted but to remain focused, professional and unbiased in the discharge of its functions.

The group, while expressing absolute confidence in the ability and competence of INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election, argued that this can only be achieved by all the stakeholders playing by the rules of engagement, ?because INEC alone cannot do it.?

It, therefore, charged the electoral umpire ?to remain focused, professional and unbiased in the discharge of its functions and not allow the usual campaign of blackmail and calumny against it at every election season, to derail or weaken its resolve to conduct a successful election like it has always done.?

The group charged the media and the accredited observer organizations to maintain neutrality and professionalism in the discharge of their duties during the elections in order to help deepen the tenets of democracy.

Besides, CPPM also admonished the electorate to eschew violence and keep the peace, before, during and after the poll exercise for the progress and prosperity of Edo State.

The group urged the electorate to come out en masse on election day to cast their vote for the candidates of their choice peacefully and orderly, just as it equally demanded that the political parties participating in the election educate their members on the non-negotiable need to keep the peace before, during and after election.

?We demand that the political parties participating in the election educate their members on the non-negotiable need to keep the peace before, during and after election.

?We urge dissatisfied parties and candidates with the outcome of the election, to seek redress via the civilized means of engagement and refrain from provoking a breakdown of law and order,? the group said.

CPPM, while flaying Governor Obaseki?s utterances and conduct in continuing ?to fan the embers of violence in utter violation of his oath and disrespect for his office,? noted that the governor had been reported by the media as promising to make the election a do or die affair.

The group, therefore, demanded that the governor be placed on security watchlist as an instigator of violence, even as it quickly reminded that in September 2020 when Governor Obaseki was seeking re-election for a second term, he, ?on the day of voting, after casting his ballot at his polling station in the morning, made all sorts of allegations of bias and compromise against INEC and the Nigeria Police Force, only for the same Mr. Obaseki to make a 360? u-turn and described the same election he had earlier described as a fraud and compromised, as the best election ever conducted by INEC and went on to heap praises on INEC and the Police for their professionalism, after he was declared the winner and re-elected for a second term.?

?As the good people of Edo State go to the polls on Saturday 21st of September 2024 to elect a new helmsman to direct the affairs of the state for the next four years, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) is eagerly looking forward to the conduct of a free, fair and credible election which can only be achieved by all the stakeholders observing the rules of engagements in order to deepen our democracy,? the group added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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