The Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, yesterday said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) violated COVID-19 protocols during its Edo State governorship campaign, just as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also flouted the safety guidelines.

To this end, he said the APC must redesign its campaign to earn public confidence, without putting the health of the people of Edo State at risk.

Lukman stated this while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

He noted that the APC must rise above personality to win the forthcoming election.

He stated: “You can see, as far as I am concerned, that PDP is already compromising COVID-19 protocols in its campaign, but how can our government at the federal level correct that if our own campaigns are compromising that? This is a matter of life and death. If we allow a situation because we don’t want to talk, we are all blackmailed, then we weaken our own government from being able to give leadership to control the spread of this virus and if it is about life and death, we must appeal to our leaders.

“This is where the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 really needs to put its weight together with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not just to regulate the process, but for all other parties that will be contesting the elections, to conduct the elections based on the respect for COVID- 19 protocol.

“This is part of my worry and I honestly believe if we are to earn public confidence and to get voters to vote for us, and above all, to respect the instruction of our federal government to manage the spread of COVID-19, we must redesign our campaign,” Lukman added.

The director general lamented that Edo State was taking precedence over every other problem facing the party, adding that party leaders have been blackmailed into adopting a campaign format that compromised the health and safety of the Edo State people.

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APC Violated Protocols in Edo Campaign~PGF DG