By Dipo Olowookere
One of the candidates for the September 28, 2016 governorship election in Edo State has withdrawn from the race.
The candidate of KOWA party, Mr Thompson Osadolor, explained he decided to quit the poll following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the exercise.
INEC rescheduled the poll from Saturday, September 10, 2016, to the new date because it was advised to do so by the police and the DSS over “security concerns”.
However, Mr Osadolor has urged his supporters to now cast their votes for candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The KOWA flag bearer said he could no longer bear the shift in the poll.
“I am not satisfied with the postponement of the election. They (INEC) knew that we would win the election; that was why they postponed the election.
“Having done that, they have destabilised us. That is one of the reasons we withdrew,” he explained.
He said further that, “Because of the postponement of the election, I met with my campaign team; we decided to harness our campaign with that of the PDP.
“Our manifesto and that of the PDP are very similar and I think we will be able to work together. We reached an agreement with the PDP that we are going to run an inclusive government.
“PDP did not make any financial commitment to us. We do not have any financial agreement.”