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| Governor Godwin Obaseki |
A pro-Governor Godwin Obaseki group, the Concerned Edo Citizens Forum (CECF), has kicked against conducting the June 22 governorship primary election of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) using direct method that will involve voting by all members of the party in the eighteen local government areas of the state.
The group, on Friday in Benin, through its Convener, Roy Oribhabor, and the Secretary, Osamwonyi Ibude, cited the possibility of the spread of the deadly Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) as the reason for kicking against direct primary in Edo APC.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of APC, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a former Edo governor, revealed in Abuja on Thursday that direct governorship primary would be considered in Edo, in order to give all members of the party a sense of belonging and to also allow them to exercise their franchise.
The forum said: โAs concerned citizens, we are seriously worried about the political activities in Edo State, because of the coronavirus pandemic. It is on record that the deadly virus has no respect for status and positions, hence our worries.
โWe hereby call on all political parties in Nigeria contesting the governorship election in Edo State to consider mode of primary that will help reduce the spread and potency of coronavirus pandemic in the state.
โWe are first Edo people before election. Therefore, direct method of primary election is not advisable at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.โ
The pro-Obaseki group also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the mechanism employed so far to arrest the killer virus on rampage and ravaging the entire World without reliable cure and vaccine for now.
It will be recalled that Obaseki, of APC, is seeking re-election, while some chieftains of the party in Edo have also indicated interest to be part of the governorship primary battle, ahead of the September 19 election, while the governorโs first tenure will end on November 12 this year.
