Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari has announced his passionate commitment to a free and fair governorship election in Edo state.
In a statement on Thursday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, quoted Buhari as saying no progress would be made in the country’s electoral process if politicians resort to “do or die” methods to gain power by any means.
The president said the mentality is a threat to credible elections in the country.
“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.”
Buhari asked the security agencies to remain neutral in the electoral process.
“[They should] ensure free and fair elections and avoid any action(s) capable of compromising the integrity of the elections,” the president said.
“Conducting free and fair elections 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.”
Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, will slug it out at the governorship election with Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The duo were also the main contenders in the 2016 race. In the last election however, Obaseki ran and won as the candidate of the APC while Ize-Iyamu flew the flag of the PDP. This time around, the two contenders swapped political parties and as some analysts have pointed, godfathers.
Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of the state stood solidly behind Obaseki in 2016; this time, he is backing Ize-Iyamu who he castigated and called names four years ago.
