Edo

The Campaign Council of the APC for the Edo Governorship Election has called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to subject party candidates in the poll to compulsory drug tests.

The council made the call in a statement by its Director of Media, Kassim Afegbua, on Wednesday in Benin.

According to him, the candidates need to present themselves for a serious drug test to ascertain their level of sanity.

Afegbua urged the NDLEA to zero in on all candidates of the frontline political parties with a view to ascertaining their sanity.

“We have been reliably informed that some of them are alleged to be heavy consumers of banned substances, including alcohol.

“A test for all of them will unveil their level of sanity,” he said.

He noted that Edo voters must be well-guided in making informed choices during the elections and avoid voting for a candidate who would spend the state’s resources on funding drug and alcoholic lifestyles.

Afegbua said the test would save the Edo people of any future embarrassment that may arise, adding that the voters could not be deceived again.

“Edo State is too decent to have a governor who will bring shame to the people.

“Anyone who wants to govern Edo State should not be a heavy consumer of marijuana.

“This is a banned substance, and we expect the NDLEA to verify and conduct tests on the major candidates.

“Our candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo is prepared to submit himself to any test any time he’s called upon.

“We expect similar assurances from the other candidates to ascertain their level of sanity,” he said.

Afegbua said the council would continue to mount pressure on the anti-drug agency until the call was yielded.

Frontline aspirant for the Chairmanship position of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Francis Inegbiniki has called on the leadership of the party, ably led by His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni to save Edo State APC from imminent collapse as a result of the few self centered individuals within the Party who have perfected their plans to truncate the State Congress slated for Saturday the 16th of October, 2021.

In a Press Release to Journalists in Benin City, Chief Inegbiniki said that, these individuals held a kangaroo meeting where they resolved to stage manage the Congress through Consensus which over eighty percent of the leaders of the Party have vehemently rejected.

He said that he was prepared to accept the outcome, if the Congress is properly conducted, but for few to take unpopular decision about the Congress is undemocratic and inimical for the growth of the Party.

Read Also: Edo APC Chairmanship: Inegbeniki Declares Interest

He appealed to party members especially the delegates to dispel rumour that, he has stepped down or he has been asked to step down for such rumour is been peddled by those who want to foster a stooge on the party.

He appealed to them (delegates), to give him their votes and promised to breath life into the party, if he becomes the Chairman.

Another leader of the Party who does not want his name in print expressed disappointment over the uncivilized and undemocratic manner, some few individuals are going about the Congress. He challenged such people to prepare for the Congress if their candidate is really popular and acceptable.

In his words, “the contenders are members of the party, the outcome of the Congress will be more acceptable to members, if it is democratically conducted, to cut corners will be disastrous for the party, especially now that it is the opposition party in the State”.

“Those who want to destroy the party because of their future aspirations, should desist and allow a free, fair and credible Congress, because that is the only way we can have a party that we can call our own”.

Meanwhile, the hope for a full blown Congress is rising. Our Reporter gathered that the delegates from the one hundred and ninety two wards in the state have been invited to the Congress on Saturday.

This is a deviation from the stand of some few leaders who met earlier to push for consensus.