- IAC said Imo electorate have a lot to learn from the outcome of Edo State guber election.
BY: CONSTANCE EKE
The Imo Awareness Coalition, a Watchdog group in Imo State, has explained that there are lessons to learn from the outcome of Edo State Governorship election.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had defeated the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Pastor Ize Iyamu to emerge winner of the polls.
Speaking to INNONEWS in Owerri on the outcome of the election, Publicity Secretary of the group, Fidelis Echendu, said aside the fact the election showed that godfatherism can be eliminated in Nigerian politics, it exposes the fact that the electorate are also becoming the ultimate decider in who governs them.
“We believe sympathy worked for Governor Obaseki because of his ordeal in the hands of Oshiomole
“There are inherent lessons from this election particularly here in Imo State.We may not have godfatherism brand of politics in Imo State, but there is need for those who are in authority, to always connect to the masses through good policies and governance.
“When people feel the impact of good governance, they will always stand with you and reciprocate during elections.
“A government that disconnects itself from the populace, through wrong policies weakens it’s chances at elections.
“When a government fails to pay salaries to workers, pensions to pensioners, it disconnects or alienates itself from the people. The people begin to see such government as unfeeling.
Echendu continued “An unfeeling government usually gets rejected at the polls. And we can see clearly from the outcome of the Edo State Governorship election, that rigging elections are no longer fashionable.
“It is gradually leaving our political physche because the votes are beginning to count” he said.
He argued that the ideology political parties never influenced the outcome of the polls in Edo State.
“The election was not about Obaseki or Ize Iyamu, APC or PDP, it was about perception about the contest and cumulative factors which played up even before the elections. It is a lesson for everyone in Imo State” he said
