Barrister Kenneth Udeze, the National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA), has said that his party’s candidates in Edo and Ondo states governorship elections are formidable politicians with grassroots reach.
Speaking with The NEXT EDITION on Friday, Udeze maintained that the Action Alliance (AA) candidates cannot be considered as underdogs considering what the party’s candidates were able to record in the last general elections.
According to him, even in Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections, the party’s candidates performed well, stressing that people should not overlook the possibility of upsets in Nigerian elections.
Udeze, Secretary, Contact and Mobilisation Committee (CMC) of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), said: “We have quality contenders for the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
“Our alliance last time was only in the presidential election of 2019, when we nominated Atiku Abubakar, and supported him.
“In the states, we fielded candidates for most of the elective positions in the spirit of the CUPP arrangement. AA never broke the rules of our engagement.
“When we lost to PDP in Imo State, the party decided to let go and ready to support the party that was declared winner by INEC. The rest is history.”
READ ALSO: Edo and Ondo Elections: AA Remains The Only Credible Option For Peace, Good Governance – Udeze
Udeze called on the electorate in Edo and Ondo states to go out and vote for the AA gubernatorial candidates, describing them as the only credible options the people have for peace and good governance in the two states.
“I also wish to call on all the political stakeholders in the two states to consider the safety of the people and the state as they go about their campaigns.
“Politics of calumny will not do us any good. Let’s respect God and consider the people, please,” he advised.
On whether the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in Edo and Ondo would not take the upper hand over the AA flag bearers, Udeze said, “The outcome of an election in a democratic system is always acceptable if it is credibly conducted.
“But, it is full of despair and untoward back clashes, if it is improperly handled. The focus of most Nigerians as far as the two elections are concerned are on what INEC will do before, during and after the elections to ensure that the outcome doesn’t lead to avoidable bloodshed.
“I will say that it is not about what our party can come out of the election with, but on the overall outcome as it pertains to the distribution of the election materials, performance of the electoral officers, security of the electorates and the imperativeness of declaring an unencumbered election result.
“At the moment, PDP and APC are up against each other. No doubt, the two parties are the favourites. But, we have not lost sight of what the Supreme Court can do when we decide to approach the Supreme Court, if we discover some irregularities.
“So, if you ask me, we have hope of doing well and eventually emerging victorious in the elections considering the loopholes we are seeing as a party.”
