From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin City
As electioneering for the Edo State governorship poll slated for September 1 formally commence today, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has appealed to other political parties participating in the election and their candidates in particular, to focus on issues, maintain decorum and avoid dwelling on inanities.
On Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the timetable for campaigns.
“As provided by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaigns by Political Parties in public shall commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
“Therefore, political parties are now permitted to start campaign in public from Wednesday 24th April 2024 and end at midnight on Thursday 19th September 2024 as indicated in items 8 and 12 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election
“For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions mentioned in Sections 92 – 97 of the Electoral Act 2022,” INEC said in a statement by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman.
Ighodalo, who is expected to slug it out with 16 other candidates in the battle for the Edo State Government House popularly known as Osadebey Avenue, promised to play by the rules and to run issue-based campaigns.
“I sincerely believe that we are ready for the campaigns as the Independent National Electoral Commission has formally lifted the ban on public campaigns for the September election, beginning from April 24. On our part, we are ready to play by the rules. We will focus on issues. Edolities want to know and hear us talk about what we are bringing to the table to solve the problems of insecurity, poverty, infrastructure and many more. We will make decorum our watchword.
“Therefore, I want to appeal to all the other political parties, and in particular, their candidates to please let us dwell on issues and not on inanities. We must do everything to avoid campaigns of calumny, character assassination, deliberately peddling falsehood against individuals and trying to tie and link them to what they know nothing about.
“We will be very deliberate and intentional in our campaigns by selling our manifesto to the electorate and persuading them to vote for us. We expect others to do the same. Let’s refrain from attacking individuals, personalities and stop throwing dirt and mud on people because of their political persuasions.”
According to him, if all the players play by the rules, the atmosphere would be convivial for every candidate and political parties in the race and thus reduce the possibility of electoral hostilities and violence.
“We must bear in mind that we are brothers and sisters and all we want is the progress and development of our dear state,” he said in a statement issued by the Asue Ighodalo Media Team in Benin City, yesterday.