A group – Concerned Citizens of Edo State, on Monday, condemned an alleged plan to impeach Governor Godwin Obaseki using opposition lawmakers should they secure majority seats in the state House of Assembly in the March 18 election.
The group, therefore, urged Edo residents to vote for candidates who will make people-centred laws and not those interested in dividing the state and bringing down the government.
The concerned group, at a press briefing in Benin City, described the issue of impeachment being circulated around by some political leaders, actors and their supporters as “irresponsible” and could potentially distort the existing peace and lead to crisis even before the March 18 House of Assembly election.
Solomon Idiogbe, spokesperson of the group made up of different civil society organisations, appealed to Edo people to scrutinise the candidates and vote them based on competence, track records and capacity to carry out their legislative duties for the progress and development of the state.
According to him, “This election is and should be about Edo people voting for those whose agenda is to come and make developmental laws toward a better and prosperous Edo State.
“We condemn in all ramifications and in the strongest terms possible, those in the bandwagon of trouble, supporters and candidate of any political party who are propagating impeachment agenda or negative plans even before elections, and as thus declared them persona non-grata in the state because a progressive Edo State is clear to us all not crisis.
“We support the smooth transition of government to government, which is from incumbent to whoever shall be elected come 2024 through a democratic process. Therefore, we must be supportive of peace to avoid another lockdown of the Kings Square and the House of Assembly as we had often seen in the recent past,” Idiogbe said.
He implored the citizenry to take a look at the governor’s policies and programmes and judge him by his performance.
“There is no doubt there are mixed feelings about the current administration in Edo State as regard policies, programmes and its implementation processes. Most especially the controversies surrounding the inauguration of State House of Assembly members, where duly elected representatives of several constituencies were not inaugurated and till now do not represent their constituencies to perform their constitutional duties as expected.
“However, the next state House of Assembly elections coming up on Saturday, March 18, 2023 is an avenue to set the record straight and determine the peace and progress of Edo State”.
He, therefore, called on all Edo Citizens to cast votes for their preferred candidates irrespective of political affiliations, pointing out that a one party legislative house may not give the best democracy needed in a society.
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