Obaseki cautions that failure to conduct a free and fair election may lead to a national crisis.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State raised concerns about a potential national crisis should the All Progressives Congress, APC, not uphold the principles of a transparent and equitable election during the upcoming September gubernatorial election in the state.

The governor expressed this apprehension at a gathering of stakeholders in Benin City, a sentiment that was conveyed by the state’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare.

Nehikhare criticized the APC for interpreting Obaseki’s statements in a negative light and warned against the party’s alleged efforts to manipulate the democratic process using violent means to sway the outcome of the impending election.

According to him:

“The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to the negative spin that the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is fruitlessly attempting to put to the comments made by His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, at a stakeholders meeting, on Sunday, July 21, 2024, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

“For the record, we want to restate the comments of the governor on that occasion which is that: ‘if a free and fair election is not allowed to hold sway in Edo State on September 21, 2024, it will trigger a major crisis in Nigeria’.

“Recall that on Thursday, July 18, 2024, ahead of the rally to inaugurate the APC National Campaign Council, in Benin City, which was held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, the party assembled a large number of people around the precincts of the Benin Airport, on Airport Road, Benin City, resulting in the unfortunate death of a police officer, Inspector Akor Onuh attached to MOPOL 45 Abuja and the wanton destruction of properties and injuries to several citizens who were going about their lawful businesses.

“The mob then moved around the city, attacking other institutions, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) secretariat, inflicting violence and terror on the lawyers in their secretariat, with one of the lawyers, Mr. Israel Idahosa, being severely injured and his property destroyed.”