…..Rallies For Peace Ahead Polls
By Francis Onoiribholo Bureau Chief Benin
The Executive Director of Uromi Justice Development and Peace Caritas Initiative, Rev. Fr. Dr. Fidelis Arhedo has charged members of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to remain neutral in the 21 September Edo State governorship election.
Fr. Arhedo who made the call while on a visit to the Uromi Area Command of the Police during a peace rally at Uromi urged the Police and other sister security agencies to reaffirm their neutrality to Edo Central residents, Edo people and Nigerians in general to enable the people come out on polling day to vote the candidates of their choice.
The rally with the theme, “There is Life After Election”, was organised by Uromi JDPCI in collaboration with the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) with support from the United Kingdom Aid Agency (UK Aid).
Dr. Arhedo who noted that all those contesting the election are all Edo people, urged the people to report any noticed infraction on election day to the police, other security agencies and the traditional rulers in their community and urged them to have confidence in the ability of the police to protect voters on election day.
Arhedo appealed to parents to talk to their wards to shun violence and urged voters not to sell their votes, as according to him that will amount to mortgaging their future admonishing that whatever money politicians will offer them on election day can not take care of their needs beyond two days.
“We want to encourage you to sit on the path of neutrality to protect everyone on the election day. We are here to tell Edo people that those to vote are Edo people, those we are voting for are Edo people; so there’s no need for us to kill ourselves.
“We want to encourage you, the police to sit on the path of neutrality to protect everyone on the election day. We are here to tell Edo people that those to vote are Edo people, those we are voting for are Edo people, so there’s no need for us to kill ourselves as there’s life after the election.
“As we are here today with you, Police, we want you to continue to reaffirm to the Nigerian public, Edo people and residents of Esanland, that in this election you are here for neutrality and you’re here to make sure peace reigns during this election, and we believe with your stand and what we’ve been doing in this state, we’ll have a peaceful and violent free election. We want every unwanted movement in any community reported to the police promptly”.
“The Police Area Commander, Uromi Area Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tarzan Tsav while assuring members of Uromi JDPCI and all those who came out for the peace rally of the neutrality of the Police, urged all trouble makers to steer clear of the election, stressing that the police will ensure such people will not have peace and there will be no environment for them to carry out their plans.
“We will ensure that there’s peace. Let every person go about their normal business. We’ll not tolerate whoever does not want peace and if you’re for peace you’re for us.
“We are also assuring you, people, that we are police, we’re not civilians, we are in between the parties, we’ll make sure everything goes on smoothly.
“We have signed an oath of neutrality, we are not for any of them, but we’re for peace and we’ll make sure that wherever people are going to vote there will be no problem; all what we want is peace”, he declared.
In his response, the Commandant, of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Uromi Command, Superintendent Sebastian Ehikioya assured the people of their neutrality and urged voters to come out en masse on election day to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.
At the palace of the Ujuromi of Uromi, the Onojie of Uromi, Zaiki, Anselm Edenojie 11 stated that he wants peace before, during and after the election, adding that he too has been preaching peace ahead of the election.
The Onojie of Uromi who spoke through a palace Chief called on everyone to be peaceful during the election.
Adding his voice to the campaign for peace, the Deputy Executive Director of Uromi JDPCI, Rev. Fr. Ukpebor appealed to the people not not make themselves available for use by external persons in the Edo election, noting that people from outside Edo State cannot come to the state to disturb the election if there’s nobody amongst our people available for them to use.
The peace campaigners led by Very Rev. Fr. Fidelis Arhedo moved around major streets at Uromi with messages of peace blaring from the mobile public address system used for the rally.
Speaking in the same vein in Benin City, the Executive Director, of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev David Ugolor, urged Edo residents to shun violence and support a peaceful election.
Rev. Ugolor spoke at the civic education and peace rally in Benin City which began at the Museum Centre on King Square, Benin City, and ended at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre.
ANEEJ Executive Director, David Ugolor explained that the rally was aimed at raising public awareness on the need for a peaceful and violence-free election in Edo State.
“We are out to let the people know that we can elect the candidate of our choice without fight, violence and thuggery and we do not support any move to destabilize the election using violence, vote buying and selling, and other forms of irregularities.
This rally is part of a broader effort by ANEEJ and the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room to ensure a credible and peaceful election”, Ugolor said.
Various civil society organisations domiciled in Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts participated in the civic education and peace rally.
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