Richard Amayo
23 December 2007
Benin City — Manipulations and irregularities characterized yesterday's local government bye-elections in Oredo and Owan East Local Government Areas as top police personnel in the state took active part in the supervision of the malpractice.
THISDAY checks revealed that the act started when the security personnel manned the distribution of the electoral materials with an active supervision of a senior government official as well as top official of the Nigerian Army, names withheld.
THISDAY also gathered that the electoral materials were conveyed to an undisclosed destination in a vehicle provided by another top official of the Federal Highway Patrol in a Sunny Nissan car.
Dissatisfied with the action of the public officials involved in the movement of the materials, who had earlier promised to remain neutral and provide the necessary security for the conduct of the election, the Action Congress candidates left the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) premises disappointed.
THISDAY further observed that the election only took place in some areas that are the stronghold of the PDP with pockets of crowd.
Action Congress Chieftain and governorship candidate in the April 14 election, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who was in the EDSIEC, Oredo Office, had insisted that no election materials should be shared if all the necessary materials like completed ballot papers that reflected the strength of the registered voters in various wards in the locality from EC8A (the result sleet sheets) which the Deputy Governor and other PDP Chieftains objected to.
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