Edo State Government Sunday said despite all the appeals made to the police to end the indiscriminate arrest of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the security apparatus has yet to deploy some other squad of policemen from outside Edo State to begin massively arresting PDP chieftains perceived to be politically strong in their various constituencies to pave the way for the manipulation of elections in those areas.
The state government described this intimidation tactic as irresponsible and reprehensible, adding that it shows the security agency does not mean well for the state’s people by deploying such unhandy tactics when it ought to be neutral.
It, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to order the security agencies, especially the police, to stop the attacks on unarmed and harmless Edo people and Nigerians who have done nothing wrong except that they want a free, fair and credible election so that they can vote for the candidate of their choice.
Addressing journalists in a press briefing on Sunday, the Edo Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, and the Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Project, Crusoe Osagie, stated that intelligence report available to government has also uncovered massive production of masks and police uniforms by agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to veil their thugs who they plan to deploy to disrupt voting processes in units and wards where they know they do not stand a chance of victory.
According to the duo, an APC chieftain wore one of those uniforms only recently, and the police even presented a defence for such a wanton display of impersonation.
“We called this press conference today to draw the attention of our country’s leadership, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and diplomatic corps to the findings of our intelligence, which we uncovered ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
“The following are some of the information we are bringing to the notice of the general public and calling for immediate action:
“One, despite all the appeals made to the police to end the indiscriminate arrest of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), they have yet deployed some other squad of policemen from outside Edo State to begin massive arrest of PDP chieftains perceived to be politically strong in their various constituencies to pave the way for the manipulation of elections in those areas.
This intimidation tactic is irresponsible and reprehensible.
“Two, our intelligence has also uncovered massive production of masks and police uniforms by agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to veil their thugs, who they plan to deploy to disrupt voting processes in units and wards where they know they do not stand a chance of victory. Only recently, a chieftain of the APC wore one of those uniforms, and the police even presented a defence for such a wanton display of impersonation.
“Three, we also uncovered plans by the House of Representative member representing Ovia Constituency who has engaged about 200 militants for disrupting election materials and electoral officials in the riverine axis of the state beginning from Ologbo, Nikorogha, all the way to Siluko. We also understand that these militants have already been ferried into the state and lodged in various hotels. We are giving this information to security agencies to act swiftly to arrest or dislodge these thugs and plans.
“Four, we have also uncovered plans to redeploy all the security officials attached to the Edo State Governor, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki, to leave him without protection and render him vulnerable as we head into the election and on election day.”
The duo also alleged that the state government is also aware of plans that Senator Adams Oshiomhole has already concluded to engage the Commander of Mopol 60 and his men, who have been committed to provide shield in the polling units around his home in Iyamho to allow the senator and his supporters take the ballot paper and all election materials into his premises and thumbprint all the ballot papers for APC, leaving other parties with no chances of getting fair votes.
Nehikhare and Osagie further alleged that the PDP provided similar information in the last elections, which was ignored. They added that at the end of that exercise, the BVAS report validated the party report, as 210 people were accredited, but over 1000 votes were recorded.
“Having confirmed that they cannot win in Okpella, Lampese, Fugar, Ibillo, and Agenebode, the APC has concluded plans to use thugs veiled in those masks and police uniforms which they produced to disrupt the electoral process and intimidate voters in those areas.
“In Egor Local Government Area, the APC has gathered thugs in the home of one of its chieftains, as well as other houses in the neighbourhood under the shield of the Textile Mill Police Station to disrupt the voting process in that LGA.
“We are by this press conference calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to order the security agencies, especially the police, to stop the attacks on unarmed and harmless Edo people and Nigerians who have done nothing wrong except that they want a free, fair and credible election so that they can vote for the candidate of their choice.
“We also call on the International Community, Embassies of the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union, as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to prevail on President Tinubu so that the electorate in Edo can cast their votes in favour of whoever they believe is better to lead their State for the next four years”, the duo further declared.
Reacting, Orobosa Omo-Ojo JP, Director of Publicity, Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council, said the PDP, its candidate, Asue Ighodalo and Godwin Obaseki, are suffering from horrific hallucinations.
In the past two weeks, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the People’s Democratic Party and its candidate Asue Ighodalo have been exhibiting dangerous symptoms of hallucination, which has led to perceptions of having seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled things that are hunting them.
He said in the past few weeks, the only thing that comes readily to mind is the ghost of late Inspector Onuh Akor, who the Edo State Security Network murdered in cold blood on the order of Edo State Government.
In addition, Omo-Ojo stated that the ghost of an imminent defeat on September 21, 2024, has become a horrible, nightmarish feeling for Obaseki and Asue, his godson. He pointed out that the reality of their inability to use the notorious ESSN to disrupt the scheduled election is responsible for their phantom make-believe stories.
“Yesterday, September 14, 2024, PDP showed that truly, Asue will continue from where Pharaoh Obaseki stopped on November 12 by snubbing the Palace of Benin when Atiku Abubakar and others in the company of Asue Ighodalo refused to visit the monarch. By their action, PDP has confirmed their lowly position of ‘Oghionoba’, the enemy of the Oba. Edo people have accepted the challenge and will defend what they treasure most next Saturday.
A few days ago, on September 14, 2024, Obaseki and Asue confirmed the fear of the Edo people when they refused to sign the peace accord organised by the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee. By their action, the disgruntled PDP and candidate Asue showed the world that the party intends to shoot its way to victory.
Sadly for them, the Edo people are ready to resist them, not minding the threats of “Nigeria will burn” if the Independent National Electoral Commission refuses to write results for Asue.
“Nigerians are reminded of Governor Obaseki’s recent charge to his ragtag supporters that the September 21, 2024 election is a “do or die” contest the PDP must win. He shamelessly reminded his deflated party thugs that they would die if APC won.
“During the week, another notorious thug masquerading as the Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress in Edo State, Orion Place, threatened INEC that Edo State and Nigeria will burn if the electoral body fails to declare Asue winner.
“Going by the prevailing scenario, Nigerians can tell who the merchants of violence are. For us in the All Progressives Congress, our cardinal goal is to sack the PDP from Edo State through the ballot box and set our people free from the vice-grips of buccaneer capitalists that have ruined the state and mortgaged the future of Edo people.”
