Concerns as Obaseki, Labour Party differ over Edo election rerun

Edo State chapter of Labour Party (LP), yesterday, called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel election rerun in the state, which the party described as a charade.

Addressing newsmen in Benin City, Edo State capital, the state Chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, said that the elections held, yesterday, was marred by irregularities.

Ogbaloi claimed many of their supporters were disenfranchised by members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents and called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the elections.

He said: “An election, where we, as members of LP, were not allowed to participate cannot be said to be an election. In Ward 1, some LP officials and voters were beaten up and some are lying in hospital beds as we speak. It cannot be imagined that the gates of the venues, where elections were supposed to be taking place were locked and only opened to members of PDP.

“We had a situation where gates to the venue, where a rerun is taking place, is shut against members and supporters of a particular political party, allowing only officials and members of the PDP and government officials.

“In such similar circumstance in Ward 12, in Agbado Primary School, one of our voters, who was being beaten, in an attempt to run for his dear life, was knocked down by a vehicle and is lying critically ill in an undisclosed hospital in the Benin metropolis.”

He also a situation in Ibhiore, where he claimed the gate to the venue of voting was shut and few of LP members, who were able to get in, were beaten and thrown out of the venue.

At Ugbor market, according to him, fierce-looking men manned the gates, chasing out members and supporters of LP, thereby stopping them from casting their votes.

He called on INEC to intervene, saying: “We want to use this medium to notify INEC that during the last elections, the votes counted for LP was shortchanged with about 2,000 votes, which was a clear mistake on the part of INEC and I am aware INEC is making effort to correct that anomaly and we ask that they expedite action towards that direction as it is a matter of right, not privilege because that election was clearly won by LP and they should try to make sure all the necessary corrections are made.”

BUT the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, congratulated candidates of the PDP on their victory in the supplementary elections.

Edo state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, quoted the governor as saying: “I applaud the tenacity of our candidates for gaining the trust of the people to serve them in the Assembly.”

We are sure the members-elect will uphold the best interest of their constituents as they carry out their assignment as legislators.

“I commend INEC for conducting a peaceful exercise and upholding the wishes of the people.”