Edo Poll: Maintain electoral standards Jonathan set – Ekweremadu tells FG

Ahead of the Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed concern over the alleged harassment and intimidation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members by security operatives in the state.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Mr Uche Anichukwu, on Wednesday, Ekweremadu called on the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government to “maintain the electoral standard set by the PDP” and “call its security operatives to order.”

Accusing the Nigeria Police of “unwarranted arrests and harassment” of its members and supporters, the Deputy President of the Senate urged the Federal Government to ensure a free, fair and credible electoral process.

The statement quoted Ekweremadu as saying, “I am deeply distressed by the development, not just because I am a member of the PDP but, more importantly, because the PDP had taken our electoral process beyond where it is being dragged back to today.

“The greatest gift of democracy, which makes other blessings of democracy feasible, is the inalienable right of the people to elect their leaders of their own freewill in a free, fair and credible electoral process that must be devoid of all forms of intimidation.

“As a beneficiary of the electoral reforms and policy of non-interference in the electoral process exemplified by the immediate past PDP administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan, I expect the APC-led Federal Government to immediately call the security agencies to order.

“If the APC-led FG cannot improve on the electoral process, I expect them to at least maintain the standards set by the PDP.”