Chief Dr Patrick Osagie Eholor, chieftain of Labour Party has criticised the refusal of Edo State Government under Godwin Obaseki to conduct local government elections.
In an interview, Eholor argues that he had already taken the governor to court over the matter and called on the Federal government to compel the governor to do the needful.
His words: Any election without opposition is autocracy. They know that if the local government elections are held today, we of Labour Party will again sweep all the local governments in Edo South.
Godwin Obaseki as the Governor will not be happy with that. Look at the last election, he was defeated in his ward, we defeated him in Egor and Oredo. The EDSIEC is under the governor and he can get the security under him and write results. I personally went to court and Justice Oviawe said I don’t have locus. But I am appealing that judgment because I have the locus standi to either represent myself or to represent my constituents.
It is very shameful that a Governor will refuse to conduct an election because democracy is by the people, for the people and of the people too.
I know that there will never be any election where a Governor will say his party won 18 over 18, or 24 over 24, like Oshiomhole used to boast.
We know what happened in the last House of Assembly elections where people who were supposed to represent us were not sworn in. This is dictatorial behaviour. He did it and till the end of their tenure, nothing happened.
So I appeal to the Federal government, I appeal the current President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that for us to have meaningful development, we must push it to the local governments.
So, Obaseki must withdraw his liaison officers and conduct local government elections.