The Edo State chapter of the Organised Civil Society Organisations (OCSO) has charged Edo State residents to vote only credible candidates in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The group noted that it is another opportunity to elect credible candidates that would represent their interest in the state House of Assembly in the next four years.
While addressing a world press conference in Benin, Marxist Kola Edokpayi who spoke on behalf of the group described Saturday March 11 election as an exercise between the oppressed people of Edo State and those in power that have lost grip of the people.
“March 11 election is an exercise between the oppressed people of Edo State and those in power that have lost grip of the people due to their draconian, monstrous, odious, outrageous and anti-peoples’ policies that have rendered the masses impotent, helpless and refugees in their land of birth.
The group added, “Edo people cannot continue to be governed by the likes of King Pharaoh, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin who adopted the principle of Nicollo Machiavelli that the end justifies the means.
“This time around, we need a robust State House of Assembly that can represent the interest of the entire Edo people and not a rubber stamp assembly tied to the apron string of the Executive”, he said.
Edokpayi also pointed out that the election of February 25, was the awakening of the consciousness of the people that power really belongs to God and the people.
He said, “This gives validation and justification to the definition of Democracy by Abraham Lincoln as “The Government of the people by the people and for the people” The people are really the masters not those elected or appointed.
“The recent political proceedings in Nigeria is a lucid transmogrification of the political status quo ante bellum since 1960 where Political vampires imposed their stooges on the people.
He added, “March 11, 2023 House of Assembly election is another milestone in the history of Nigeria where Edo people will come out en-masse to express their displeasure and dissatisfaction on the pattern of governance overtime and vote for their representatives who will represent their interest in the Parliament.
“Those who want to represent us should be people with character and vision to speak truth to power no matter whose ox is gored”.
He however called on politicians who he alleged, are trying to employ the services of hoodlums, hooligans, thugs, miscreants, and unknown armed men to disrupt the political exercise on that day to have a rethink and desist from the act as election is not a declaration of war but an opportunity for the people to peacefully chose those who want to represent them.
According to the human rights activist, political actors mounting the rostrums to campaign should focus on the issues of economic prosperity for the poor masses instead of engaging in a logical fallacy of character assassination, dirty politics, mudslinging, personal attack and smear.
“We want to humbly appeal to our security agency to ensure security of lives and properties before, during and after the election. Any attempt by an individual, group of persons or government agents to manipulate and subvert the will of the people will be resisted vehemently” he said.
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