Benin City — Ahead of the September 21st governorship election, the Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO) on Tuesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlights on those who are buying or selling their votes for the governorship election.
The Coordinator-General of the group, Comrade Omobude Agho made this demand while addressing journalists in Benin City where he also urged the security agencies not to make themselves a willing tool in the hands of any political party or politician to compromise the exercise.
According to him,"We hope that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission can for once wake up to one of its major responsibilities by channelling its energy to chase after vote buyers and sellers during this election which is more of national sabotage than chasing after 'yahoo boys.
"We shall ensure that this election is done in the most tranquil and transparent circumstances where nobody, however highly placed he may be, shall not be allowed to truncate the will of the people this time around.
"We therefore insist that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) give Edo people assurance by its actions and activities that, it is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election in Edo state"
Omobude added that Edo state is known for its vibrancy and that the continuous growth and development of the democracy rests on the collective and shared responsibility of the people and it must demonstrate the will of the majority of the people and not that of a few persons in public institutions.
He said the civil society being the consciousness of the society, would not allow anything less in this forthcoming governorship election.
He said they would use its network that spread across the 18 local government areas of the state to put in place modalities in ensuring all concerned play by the rules.
Omobude, while faulting the recent shootings at the Benin Airport where an Inspector of police lost his life, urged the Inspector General of Police to carry out his discreet investigations to unravel those behind the dastardly act.
He called on the various political parties in the election to focus on issues based politics rather than engaging in mudslinging.
