By Jethro Ibileke
Members of the Labour Party (LP) on Saturday staged a massive protest against the local government, LG council elections in Edo state. This was as the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), David Imuse, who spoke on phone from Ekpoma, also described the elections as scam.
The protesters who stormed the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), called for the cancellation of the elections, which they describing it as scam.
The protesters who comprised of members of the party in Oredo and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Areas, announced their decision to pull out of the election, alleging irregularities.
They also called on the federal government to henceforth saddle INEC with the responsibility of conducting all local government election in the country to avoid it being hijacked by the state government.
The protesters accused the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) of not living up to its promise to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
A chairmanship candidate of the party for Ikpoba Okha local government, Mashido Osamudiamen Eghaghe and his counterpart in Oredo local government, Daniel-Ero Onaghise, described the election as a one-party show as against the seven political parties that registered for the elections.
Onaghise Osaretin who alleged that as at 11:40 am there was no electoral materials in all the wards in Ikpoba Okha local government, added that it was only in ward 7 and 10 that about 100 ballot papers were received in some units which was shortfall of the huge numbers of registered voters in the units.
The chairman of the APC, David Imuse, also condemned the entire conduct of the elections.
He said: “This election is a scam, it is a charade. They brought insufficient ballot papers but no single result sheet. How can you conduct an election when there is no result sheet?
“It is happening right in the entire Edo central senatorial district. I am calling from Ekpoma, the same thing is happening in Esan North East, Esan West, everywhere here, no result sheets and I don’t see how an election can take place without result sheets.”
But to Governor Godwin Obaseki and candidates of his party, the elections were fair, free and devoid of violence.
Earlier after casting his ballot at Emokpae Primary School, Mission Road, Obaseki said: “The turnout is impressive in spite of the rain, there is considerable turnout, the political parties did well by going out to sensitize the people.
“Secondly, the process has been smooth so far. I am impressed by what has happened with what EDSIEC has done, they have done very well, many people are still there waiting to vote and this seems to be the same all over, I have not heard any other report of violence from other parts of the state. I believe that the popular candidates will win.”
Commenting on complaints of non arrival of voting materials in some areas, Obaseki said: “I believe that voting time will be extended and allow more people to vote, I am sure that EDSIEC will extend the time for voting.
“I think EDSIEC has done well, I will expect that popular candidates will win, but don’t forget that the PDP went full out to campaign for this election, I don’t know how much the other parties mobilized, but I know that PDP fully mobilized in most of the state.”
The immediate past chairman of Egor Local government council and candidate in the ongoing election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eghe Ogbemudia, described the election as very peaceful. She expressed hope of winning the election.
Speaking in the same vein, the Oredo LG candidate of the PDP, Tom Obaseki who voted at Oredo ward 2, unit 13, said the PDP as a party campaigned very well and is sure of victory at the poll.
