By Idowu Abdullahi,
Towards ensuring a violence-free gubernatorial election in Edo State, European Union (EU) has cautioned the State governor, Godwin Obaseki, All Progressives Congress (APC) National chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, other politicians and stakeholders to eschew bitter politics and allow peace to reign before and after forthcoming poll.
The appeal came days after rifts between Obaseki, and his immediate predecessor, Oshiomhole, over who controls the party machinery in the state intensified, thereby opening floodgates of accusations and counter-accusations among loyalists.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Karlsen, who made the appeal during a visit to State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Orbih, on Thursday, in Edo, urged politicians to embrace unity and shun any divisive tendency, to ensure growth and entrenchment of democracy in the state.
While urging politicians to lead by example and show restraints in their quest for power and political relevance, Karlsen disclosed that EU would also meet other political parties to share its message of peace.
According to her, the EU had embarked on over 3,000 projects scattered across the Niger Delta and would be partnering with the State governments on many projects, adding that the Union is ready to support the country on electoral law amendment.
While enumerating the roles of the EU in entrenching democracy in the country, the ambassador disclosed that the EU had spent over 100 million Euros to support various democratic institutions since return of democracy in 1999, saying the importance of the opposition in democratic consolidation cannot be overemphasized.
She pledged the EU’s impartial support and operations in the country while calling for transparent primaries and more female participation in local and national politics.
