By DADA AYOKHAI
An Edo Governorship aspirant on the Labour Party, LP, Dr. ARUNA Braimoh Edmond said the just concluded local government elections in Edo state where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was said to have cleared the entire 18 Local Government Areas is a rape of democracy.
This was contained in a statement titled “September 2nd Edo LGA Elections: The fate of the people of Edo State and its democracy?An Open Letter to Governor Obaseki” and made available to newsmen in Benin.
Dr. ARUNA who hails from Edo north district of the state holds a doctorate degree in Economics from Trinity university, USA .
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He is an alumnus of Lagos Business School, Havard Business School, Price water coopers tax academy, Philips Consulting management academy.
He said “Your excellency Sir, this election may have come and gone, but we all do not need to be reminded that the peace and progress of our beloved state is more important and superior to any personal or group or political party interest.
“There is, therefore, the need to show good sportsmanship going forward if you want greater victory to resonate with the good people of Edo State in the not so distant future.
“Finally, your Excellency, based on the burden of responsibility thrust on you by the good people of Edo state, it is expected that you would shield the people and government of the state from any path that can upturn the peace, progress and conviviality that Edo state is known for”, he said.
He said that electorate who turned out en masse to vote were disenfranchised and which doesn’t tell well of the governor who should have corrected the wrongs.
“The results of the September 2nd 2023 Elections gave an eighteen out of eighteen Local Government Area victory to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the chagrin of other political parties that took part in the elections for very obvious reasons.
“There were very many sons and daughters of Edo state both at home and abroad who observed with great anxiety, dismay and bewilderment the events that characterized the ‘just conducted’ September 2nd, 2023 local government elections in Edo state.
“The way and manner the elections were conducted, especially with the late arrival of election materials and electoral officials, as well as the reports of non-arrival of both on election day at many polling units, has left many speechless.
“It is a general and public knowledge that voters in their large numbers were deliberately disenfranchised on that election day, which for the now has in no small way or measure eroded and/or dampened the confidence of the electorate, candidates, and/ or contestants in the electioneering process.
“This happening at a time not so long after the last Presidential elections; an election that will remain a red flag on our practice of democracy, as well as on the integrity of the electioneering process and the institution tasked with such a responsibility.
“Then again, like a magic wand, it was dejavu, a similar situation that the government and people of Edo state for obvious reasons ought to ensure is avoided here in Edo state”, he said.
Dr Aruna who is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN), said the outcome of the exercise was not a surprise to him because prior to the September 2nd Elections, there were postulations and predictions from several quarters that the elections would turn out the way they did.
He further maintained that in fact, so many of them correctly predicted what the approach was going to be, taking into cognizance the wrong electoral tradition that seems to have come to stay concerning elections and the electoral institution in the state.
He added that it seems that they have chosen to follow the same pattern of consistent inconsistencies in our democratic development.
He however said that, going forward, it will be more meaningful for the electoral institution to be seen as a more credible, democratic and impartial institution.
He further admonished that the culture of impunity during elections is discouraged while the electorate and the people of the state are encouraged by the actions and conduct of the electoral institution to have more faith and trust in the government of the day in the state.
He further said that the litmus test and proof of the people’s faith and trust in the good performance of a government in a democracy is the level of electorate turnout during elections
