
Concerned People of Oredo, a group consisting of the voting population
of Oredo West Local Government have condemned the boycott of a
political debate by the out-going Speaker of Edo State House of
Assembly, Honourable Uyi Igbe, gunning for the Federal House of
Representatives.
The group in a press statement signed by Comrade Curtis Ugbo described
as shameful, and a deliberate insult on the electorate, Igbe’s refusal
to participate in the debate where all the candidates gunning for the
Oredo Federal Constituency are expected to roll out their manifestoes
to the people. It also said that any candidate who avoids a political
debate has something to hide from the voting public.
The group stated, in parts: “we view his action as a deliberate insult
on the electorates of Oredo Federal Constituency that he seeks to
represent. The debate offered an opportunity for him to tell the
electorates what his vision is and how he intends to achieve them if
elected.
It stated further: “we only hope that Uyi Igbe knows the implication
of his action, as no one can secure the votes of the good people of
Oredo by ambush. We daresay that Honourable Uyi Igbe by his body
language has created an impression in the mind of all that he is
concealing incompetence in a luggage arrogance. This is most
embarrassing and unacceptable. We enjoin him and who ever advised him
to tow the line of infamy to brace up for a democratic reprisal which
will come by way of a massive unfavourable verdict by the Oredo
people”.
It will be recalled that while serving as a speaker in 2014, Uyi
Igbe’s camp had engaged in a running battle with that of his deputy,
Honourable Festus Ebea, thereby making Edo House of Assembly the first
to operate two houses of assembly for close to one year.