Edo Guber Poll: Candidates Commit to transparency, accountability and anti-corruption

BENIN CITY, EDO STATE. September 17, 2024… Ahead of the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024, five candidates have committed to implement targeted transparency, accountability and anti-corruption framework if elected Governor. The five candidates equally committed to a peaceful election.

The commitment was made during the civil society interactive dialogue session with political parties and their gubernatorial candidates held on Tuesday September 17, 2024, in Benin City, the Edo State capital as part of activities organized by ANEEJ  under the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (ROLAC) Programme being implemented by IDEA with funding from European Union .

The CSOs interactive session which was moderated by ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev David Ugolor was attended by Governorship candidates of the Accord Party, Dr. Bright Enabulele, African Action Congress, Udoh Oberaifo, All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo represented by Hon. Washington Osifo, PhD, and the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Pastor Azehme Azena as well as a retinue of their supporters, Leaders of Civil Society Organisations, media executives and members of the public.

ANEEJ Executive Director, David Ugolor explained that the purpose of the dialogue session was to offer a platform that provides opportunity for the governorship candidates to interact with the key civil society organisations in the State. “It was also used to extract commitments from the candidates to implement key transparency and anti-corruption reforms when they win the election. Such commitments will be used to engage the winner after the election. The outcome of the meeting is expected to influence the CSOs, their constituents and families during voting on election day”, said Ugolor.

“It is unfortunate that some political parties and their candidates could not attend the event which is quite understandable because the election is very close, and they are busy travelling and campaigning in the interior parts of the state. But it is a missed opportunity for them to interface with the key civil society organisations. We are glad that the invitation was extended to all the candidates and was widely publicized before the activity.  We are equally delighted that the candidates who participated committed to working with civil society organisations to advance transparency, accountability, anti-corruption and access to information through the adoption and implementation of such a framework. These are the focus of ANEEJ work with the ROLAC Programme”, Ugolor stated.

“We are excited that the candidates have agreed to maintain peace during the election and to sustain the positive policies and programmes of the outgoing administration and provide alternative approach to addressing the issues”, Ugolor concluded.

At the end of the dialogue session, it was agreed that a stakeholder meeting should be convened after the election to set agenda for the new administration.

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