PRESS RELEASE: EDO STATE ELECTION

The Edo State Governorship election has come and gone. The election has marked a watershed in Nigeria’s march to true and participatory democracy. Prior to the election, it was feared that it would lead to security breaches. Thankfully, this was not to be.
Edo State election has redefined the political temperature and scope in Nigeria. So much campaign based on exercise of right, development, ethnic and tribal campaigns versus issue based campaigns. It was also between the godfathers versus the people.


Delta Rescue Mission (DRM) wishes to thank the good people of Edo State who turned out en mass to exercise their civic responsibility. In spite of the inclement weather in some areas, late arrival of materials in others, the people patiently waited to be accredited and to cast their votes. They were ready to make their collective voices heard through their ballot papers. Their level of awareness was unprecedented. The voters in Edo State defied ethnic appeal, money politics, apathy, intimidation by so called godfathers and a raining day to vote right, to vote for performance and against systematic looting of state funds. They voted for vision, development, actual projects and good governance. The people of Edo State by the landslide victory have attested to the judicious use of their resources by their governor. They have shown the triumph of the people over deceit and corruption. We salute them.

We also commend INEC for once doing a very good job. Though, there were some lapses, these cannot diminish the quality of work done by INEC. DRM hopes that INEC will maintain this momentum or even surpass it in future elections.

The security personnel are not to be left out. In spite of their large presence, they conducted themselves in very civilized manner and never interrupted the voting process. To all the security agencies that took part in the election, we say thank you.

The conduct of the various political parties that contested is also to be commended. Apart from few isolated cases, the parties have come of age. Negative tendencies were things of the past in this election.

The effort of election observers is also to be commended. The synergy between various monitoring groups is something that must be maintained.

The Edo State election is a source of good lesson for the people of Delta State. Since the advent of this democratic dispensation, Delta State has never had it so bad. Some politicians impose themselves through the blessing of the judiciary on the people. Delta State has suffered enough. Seeing the developmental strides in Edo State, one is ashamed to note that Delta State has more resources with little to show for it.

No non performing individual or political party can impose itself on the voters if they are determined and focused. This is the lesson from Edo State. It is the will of the people that determines change in democracy. Unlike the bullet in a military era, it is the ballot that becomes the people's potency against the wicked who want to rule by all means. When people are tired of darkness, their appetite for light cannot be silenced anymore. Deltans, let us move towards the light.


We were once the Midwest and then Bendel. It is wise to move westwards into the club of focused, visionary and development driven governors. We can do it. Delta Rescue Mission has flagged it off, join us. The time to prepare for that change is now.

M A Mukoro (Esq) Eddy Aghanenu
DG, DRM Director of Education, DRM