Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has hinted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not sign the traditional Peace Accord today, ahead of the September 21 governorship poll, because the Nigeria Police, responsible for enforcing the accord, are already acting in the interest of the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obaseki spoke when he received the chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), and former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was on a courtesy visit to him at Government House, Benin City, ahead of the signing of the Peace Accord today, September 12.
The governor's warning came as the chairman of PDP in Edo State, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, raised the alarm over the alleged deployment of associates of former Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state.
But Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said plans had been made to mop up some of the uncollected Permanent Voter Cards across the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
Yakubu added that there were 2.6 million registered voters in the off-cycle election.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday, disclosed that 35,000 police officers would be deployed to provide security for the Edo governorship election.
The police also disclosed that they had apprehended a supernumerary police officer, following his unbridled display of partisanship in the ongoing campaign for the governorship election.
Nevertheless, the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, joined other members of the party in Benin City to mobilise support for the party's governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata.
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) urged INEC to ensure that the election was conducted peacefully, and in a free and fair atmosphere, devoid of rigging or malpractices.
Obaseki had in a statement on September 10, which he personally signed, alleged that since the commencement of the electioneering process in the state, the steps taken by the police had shown that they were one-sided.
During his interaction with Abubakar, the governor reiterated his worry that the police, under the alleged manipulation of APC, had arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains, perceived to be strong political opposition to them in the coming election.
Obaseki said those arrested included the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun, who was arrested and whisked to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He stated that upon learning of the council chairman's arrest, he reached out to Edo State Commissioner of Police, and asked that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the state's jurisdiction.
Obaseki said the directive was flouted, directly undermining his authority as Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state. The governor also stated that the PDP chairman had also written two petitions to the IGP over the harassment of the party leaders, which had not been attended to.
Obaseki, therefore, queried how his party would enter into a peace accord with an umpire who, from the onset, had shown bias in favour to one of the parties in the election.
He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the PDP chieftains arrested in gestapo style. He stated that if the PDP leaders were legally arrested, they should be charged to court in Benin City to answer for whatever infractions they were alleged to have committed.
The governor told Abubakar and his team, "You are very conversant with the politics of Edo State. You were here in 2020 and we had a very heated election. You know this is an off-cycle election and there is a lot of attention.
"Unlike 2020, I am very worried with the developments in the state today. The party met yesterday and we might not likely sign this agreement.
"This is the first time we are witnessing that the person who is supposed to keep and enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.
"The opposition party in the state, the APC, has always argued that they may not be as popular and didn't win in the last election, but promised to use federal might to determine the outcome of the election.
"We thought it's just rhetoric, but in the last four weeks, we've had a situation where from the office of the IGP, armed gang policemen have come into Edo State to invade, arrest and take away PDP members.
"As we speak, there are 10 PDP members arrested and detained in Abuja without trial. Two days ago, they came to pick up a local government chairman."
Explaining Aigbogun's arrest, Obaseki said, "The chairman was going back home and was attacked and shot at. We reported and the police asked him to come and give evidence. He came and was arrested. As I speak, he is in Abuja.
"Even if an offence has been committed in Edo State, why will you not charge the offenders and try them here in the state? Why take them to Abuja? Are the offences of high treason? Why not charge them to court?
"The IGP's office came in, issued a warrant to arrest 60 PDP supporters, driving all our leaders into hiding. My role as Chief Security Officer of the state is being made nonsense of by the IGP."
The governor added, "I heard somebody was arrested and I called the commissioner to inform him. He said he will come back to me only to hear that he moved the person to Abuja. Tell me, sir, how can we sign a peace accord in this situation?
"Clearly, what they are saying is that it's going to be a violent election and that they are going to use the forces of coercion and intimidation to win elections in Edo, whether we like it or not. That is the message.
"Now that the IGP is in town, we say until everybody arrested is brought back to Edo, and to be tried here in Edo for whatever offences they have committed, we have no confidence that the police will protect us in Edo State during the governorship election."
On his part, Aziegbemi stated that the Edo State REC, Anugbum Onuoha, was Special Adviser on Lands to Wike while he served as governor.
The state PDP chairman added that the Edo Commissioner of Police (CP), Nemi Edwin-Iwo, another close associate of Wike, was deployed to the state barely a month ago.
He stressed that the close link between the two key officials and the minister meant that the election might have been compromised even before it commenced.
Aziegbemi explained, "We are worried that the election may have been compromised even before it starts. This is because we are certain that the officials responsible for conducting a free, fair and credible election are close associates of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.
"The INEC REC in Edo is Wike's cousin and served as Special Adviser on Lands to him in Rivers State. Everyone in Nigeria knows the antecedents of Wike and his conduct during elections in Rivers State. So, we will not close our eyes and watch him deploy the same tactic in Edo State.
"The current Edo State Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, is also a close associate of Wike. We believe he would not act in the best interest of Edo people nor even in the spirit and letters of the Electoral Act.
"So, it is no wonder that the police have been acting arbitrarily in the run up to the election. They have been after members and leaders of the PDP in the last few weeks, as a rogue team has been hounding, arresting and whisking PDP leaders away to Abuja in a gestapo style. So, for us, the precedent has been set and we will not sit and watch these men cause chaos in the state in pursuit of personal vendetta."
'IGP Has No Power to Suspend Edo Corps'
Edo State Government yesterday said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had no constitutional power to suspend the Edo Security Corps, as it was a creation of the Edo State House of Assembly.
The IGP had at the INEC stakeholders' meeting announced that the outfit had been suspended ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
But, in a statement, Obaseki's media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said, "The Edo State government insists that the ESC is a body set up by law passed by the Edo State House of Assembly.
"This is tantamount to the IGP disbanding the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Operation Amotekun, ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State billed for next month."
Osagie added that in the interest of peace in the state, Obaseki had directed that all the officials of the ESC should proceed on leave from today till September 23, after the election.
"Government notes that it is unconstitutional for the IGP to make such a declaration since Section 11 (1), Section 11 (2) empower the State House of Assembly to set up structures for public safety and security of the state."
INEC to Mop Up Uncollected PVCs
INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said plans had been made to mop up uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the 18 local government areas of Edo State. He said there were 2.6 million registered voters in the election.
Speaking at the stakeholders meeting held by INEC in Benin City, Yakubu disclosed that the PVCs to be mopped up would be warehoused in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) until after the governorship election.
He said Edo State had recorded a total of 2,629,025 registered voters, adding that in the electoral umpire, in its commitment to transparency, had made available soft copies of the entire register of voters to each political party fielding candidates in the forthcoming election.
Yakubu said in the next few days, the commission would publish the detailed breakdown of PVCs collected for each of the 4,519 polling units across the state.
Urging that all hands must be on deck to make the job of conducting elections easy, he said election was a multi-stakeholder activity and though INEC had a role to play, this must be complemented by other stakeholders.
The INEC chairman said the Edo State governorship election was not just a national election, but it was also of global interest. He pointed out that the commission had so far accredited 134 groups (124 domestic and 10 international) deploying 1,836 observers across the state.
He stated, "We have accredited 114 media organisations deploying 721 journalists. We have also accredited thousands of agents representing candidates and political parties at the 4,730 polling and collation locations made up of 4,519 polling units, 192 ward collation centres, 18 local government collation centres, and the State Collation Centre.
"I want to assure you that the accreditation tags for all categories of stakeholders are ready. We will announce the date and venue for collection in the next 24 hours. Similarly, election duty vehicle stickers are available for collection from our Edo State office here in Benin City."
Relatedly, INEC announced an extension of time for the collection of PVCs to enable more voters participate in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
The commission took the decision at the end of the stakeholders meeting, held yesterday in Benin City, capital of the state.
The meeting had in attendance the chairmen of political parties, candidates, traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, civil society organisations, and the media.
The stakeholders present were unanimous in their appeal to INEC to consider an extension of a few days for collection of PVCs to enable more voters participate in the election
Consequently, a three-day extension was granted, from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September.
INEC said the cards will be available for collection in its 18 local government offices across the state from 9am to 5pm daily.
The extension was contained in a statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun mni.
The statement said, "The commission appeals to all registered voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to seize the opportunity of the extension to do so. In line with the commission's policy, no collection by proxy will be allowed."
Police to Deploy 35,000 Men, 8,000 Others
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, said 35, 000 police personnel would be deployed to provide security for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21.
Egbetokun also said 8,000 military and other sister security agencies would be deployed to man the waterways, as well as the entry and exit parts of the state.
The IGP made the disclosure in Benin City, during the stakeholders meeting with political parties and civil society organisations on the election.
He also announced a ban on Edo State Security Network (ESSN) from participating in the security arrangement for the September 21 governorship election in state.
Egbetokun said the task of securing voters and election materials rested squarely on the police, who will be supported by other national security agencies to ensure credible election.
He warned that no private or state-owned security apparatus would be allowed to operate during and after the election.
"All local securities in Edo State should refrain from participating in Edo election. Activities of Edo State Security Network, which has been suspended, remain suspended," he said.
Egbetokun assured that the police would ensure strict compliance with the Electoral Act and other relevant laws to provide a conducive environment for peaceful conduct of the election.
According to him, the police will not tolerate any act of hooliganism and violence during the election, while anyone caught with weapons during the election will be treated and dealt with as a common criminal.
Meanwhile, the police said they had apprehended a supernumerary police officer, following his unbridled display of partisanship in the campaign for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
The officer, in a viral video footage, denigrated the characters of Obaseki and the PDP governorship candidate in the coming election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
The police officer in the video footage accused the duo of helping themselves with state resources, and called on voters to reject them at the poll. He appealed to the security operatives to mount surveillance around Obaseki and Ighodalo to prevent them from escaping the wrath of the law.
However, miffed by the unrestrained show of prejudice, Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the video evidencing political comments by an individual dressed in a Spy Police uniform regarding the Edo State governorship election had been brought to the attention of the police.
Adejobi stated that the police strongly condemned the act, and, however, clarified that the individual was not a regular officer of the Nigeria Police, but a Supernumerary (Spy) Police Officer employed by a private company.
He explained that Supernumerary Police Officers were private individuals trained by the Nigeria Police for specific security functions, primarily within their places of employment.
According to Adejobi, "They are not on the payroll of the NPF and do not swear to the oath of allegiance like sworn regular police officers, thus, they have the right to belong to any political party of their choice and freedom of expression.
"In this extant case, the police frown at the wearing of his official SPY uniform and engaging in political activities."
The police spokesman said the individual had been arrested for further investigation, and his political comments did not reflect the views of the Nigeria Police.
Obi Mobilises Support for Akpata in Benin
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Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, joined other members of the party in Benin City to mobilise support for the party's governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata.
Speaking at the different campaign locations, Obi urged eligible voters in the state to come out en masse to cast their votes for LP.
He said the party's governorship candidate would fix the state, move it forward, and reduce the current hardship in Edo State.
Addressing supporters at the famous Oba Market, Obi said, "You know things have become very bad under this government. There is no light, no water, no security, no fuel. Everything in this country is scattered.
"What we want in Nigeria is change. We want to put food on our table, we want the government to tell us what they are using the money from fuel subsidies for, and we want a better Edo.
"On 21st, you know what you will do, ensure you vote for mama, papa, pikin so that we can start to repair Nigeria from Edo State. We need to change the people that said they are bringing change. You must vote for Olumide Apkata, who is your guy."
On his part, Akpata said, "This is the time for the election. Our father is here; we need to let them know that we have a father, who is Peter Obi. He asked me if you people will vote and I said we are one of the best voters in this country.
"Who is your guy? I am your guy and Edo will be okay. On the 21st of September, we will sack those occupying on Government House now that have misused our resources."
However, PDP raised concern over allegations that LP had entered an "unholy pact" with APC to bring Edo people into the same suffering and bondage that Nigerians were going through under the chokehold of the APC government at the centre.
In a statement by Deputy Director General,
Media and Publicity, PDP Campaign Council for 2024 Edo Governorship Election, Rev. Olu Martins, the party gave extensive reasons for its concern.
The statement alleged, "This alliance seeks to take advantage of the fact that the Labour Party's candidate, Olumide Akpata, comes from Edo South Senatorial District to split the votes in the senatorial district, thereby reducing the APC's deficit in the overall gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
"It is shocking that the Labour Party, who are aware of the suffering, pervasive gloom and oppression that Nigerians have endured in the last nine years of draconian rule, maladministration, and gross mismanagement of the nation's economy under the clutches of the APC, is now working with these same oppressors to bring similar suffering and bondage to Edo State.
"We are calling on all Edo people to see through this smokescreen and know that a vote for the Labour Party in the forthcoming September 21 gubernatorial election is a vote indirectly cast for the APC who are our oppressors-in-chief, whose government at the centre is superintending over the gradual liquidation of the Nigerian state."
HURIWA Charges INEC on Free, Fair Poll
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the Edo State governorship election was free, fair, and credible.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the credibility of INEC was under scrutiny following the controversies surrounding the 2023 general election.
The Edo election, the advocacy platform stressed, offered the commission an opportunity to redeem its image under the leadership of Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
HURIWA emphasised that the success of the Edo governorship election would significantly impact public trust in INEC's ability to conduct credible elections.
The group expressed optimism that if INEC upheld the principles of constitutionalism and transparency, the controversies surrounding the 2023 general election could be mitigated.
