APC must ensure free and fair election —Ekweremadu

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said on Wednesday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should ensure the conduct of free and fair election in Edo State, on Saturday.

The Senate’s number two man in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, stated that recent reports of harassment of members of the opposition party in the state was uncalled for.

Ekweremadu expressed worries that allegations of harassment and indiscriminate arrest of members of the PDP were already rife ahead of the election.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervene in the situation and ensure a free, fair, and credible electoral process in Edo State.

He said: “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 Federla Government cannot improve on the electoral process, I expect them to at least maintain the standard set by the PDP.”