By; SUNDAY ODE, Abuja.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday disagreed with the suggestion by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police that the Edo governorship election scheduled for September 10, 2016 be postponed on account of insecurity.
PDP in a statement by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee described the call for the postponement as curious in view of the fact that it came just a day after the Edo State chapter of the party hosted President Muhammadu Buhari to a hitch free campaign rally.
Accordingly, the opposition party called on the President to call the security agencies to order so as not to scuttle the nation’s hard earned democracy.
PDP in the statement signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) not to succumb to the pressure to shift the poll.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to the shocking breaking news of the advise by the DSS and the Police to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to postpone the Saturday, September 10, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State on excuse of insurgency alert.
“We are taken aback on this advise coming a day after the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was present at the Mega Rally of its Party, the APC in Benin City which was concluded without any hitch.
“It is on record that INEC recently conducted a ‘hitch free’ Senatorial By-Election in Borno State which is a high-point of insurgency in the country but the security agencies saw no reason to call-off the election.
“It is therefore lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the Election cannot be held in a State where in less than 24 hours, the President and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted Rally”.
“We are calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security, and also to desist from doing anything that will jeopardize this forthcoming Gubernatorial Election in Edo State.
“We are equally counting on INEC not to succumb to this false alarm by acting independently and holding election as scheduled.”
The PDP reasoned that the advice by the Police and DSS may not be unconnected with the imminent defeat that it alleged, awaited the ruling All Progressives Congress at the poll come Saturday.
