Edo 2020: ALGON kicks against direct primaries

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Edo chapter on Sunday said that holding a direct primary election amid the COVID-19 pandemic would put the lives of Edo people in grave danger.

The Chairman of ALGON in Edo, Mr Jerkins Osunde, who was represented by Osi Akhigbe, Etsako central chairman in a news briefing said the process would undermine all efforts at containing the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Edo governorship election holds on Sep. 19.

NAN also reports that the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had proposed direct primaries for the Edo governorship election.

Osunde, however, described indirect primaries as the safest option, the most humane and healthy alternative for the Edo APC governorship primaries.

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“As local government Chairmen, we have been working very closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the state’s task force on the pandemic.

“We are aware of the health dangers the virus portends for the people in our communities if the measures put in place are not strictly adhered to.

“We are also aware of the corrosive blight that the virus can inflict on our people if we fail to follow the NCDC guidelines.

“We cannot in good conscience, support a political exercise that will put the health of our people in grave danger,” he said.

Osunde expressed shock that anyone with genuine concern for the lives of Edo people will at this point be proposing a massive gathering of people.

He said that negates the global best practices prescription of physical distancing as a measure for containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) timetable, the conduct of primary elections and resolution of disputes arising from primaries would be between June 2 to June 27.

INEC stated that the campaign proper could start on June 21.

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