The Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu has called on political parties in the state to obey the state government’s regulations outlined in a Gazette targeted at containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state during the conduct of their governorship primaries.
Shaibu made the call on Tuesday when his Bayelsa State counterpart, Lawrence Ehwujakpo paid him a visit.
Ehwujakpo was in Edo State to observe the ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While commending the PDP for following the guidelines in the gazette, Shaibu called on all other political parties to follow suit as the regulations will help in curtailing the spread of COVID-19 and keep Edo people safe.
He said: “We got a letter from your party, the PDP, requesting to make use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for its primary election. Governor Godwin Obaseki approved the request because the party obeyed the rules and regulations set by the Edo state government.
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“I therefore use this opportunity to tell other political parties to obey the gazette in the state, which is now a law. Just as you have obeyed, we are asking and calling on other political parties to obey the law.
“Any political party that disobeys the law will not hold its primary election in the state as the gazette must be respected.
“The life of Edo people is more important than the political ambition of any politician or wishes of political parties. We need to be alive to play politics; we need to live to vote and be voted for in the election. The rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the gazette must be strictly followed to keep Edo people safe at this period.”
The state government under Governor Godwin Obaseki is currently locked in a battle with the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress and a faction of the party in the state over the mode of primaries to be adopted for the governorship primary election, in which Obaseki is gunning for the APC sole ticket against the favourite of a group loyal to the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, amongst others.
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