By Lucky Isibor
Chairman of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), Prof Stanley Orobator, has assured political parties, candidates and other stakeholders of fairness in the March 3, 2018 council polls.
He also tasked the stakeholders on a violence free election before, during and after the local council election.
Orobator, who pledged his readiness to be neural, fair and provide a level playing ground for all political parties fielding candidates in the council election appealed to stakeholders to eschew violence capable of derailing the electoral process.
Speaking in Benin City Monday, during at a meeting with all registered political parties and release of election guidelines at the office of the commission, he urged all the parties and their representatives to do their homework and not trade on violence for a transparent, free, fair and credible election.
He appealed to the parties and stakeholders participating in the election into the 18 local councils to resist any form of election violence, as the commission would not accept results of an election characterised by violence.
Orobator, who stressed the need for all and sundry to abide by the rule of law, urged the stakeholders to maintain decorum and to expect an election that is 100 per cent compliant with democratic tenets.
State secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Felix Imoisili however raised a concern that a member of the commission from his Igueben Local Government Area is a card carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, wondering how a free and fair election is possible in the circumstance.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Orobator promised to investigate the matter.
Chairmen, secretaries and other members of major political parties in the state attended the meeting.
