APC using thugs to attack INEC officials, PDP lawyers — Edo govt

The Edo State Government on Tuesday expressed concerns over the recent attack on the Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State by suspected thugs.

The government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, alleged that members of the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were keeping vigil at the INEC state office to foment possible crisis or trouble.

He added that PDP lawyers who went to the INEC office were prevented from accessing the premises despite presenting a court order to that effect.

Nehikhare condemned in the strongest terms the attempts by the APC to obstruct justice and frustrate the efforts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to regain its mandate, which was stolen during the September 21 governorship election.

The statement read in part: “We condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by the APC to obstruct justice and frustrate the efforts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to regain its mandate stolen during the September 21 governorship election, by intimidating INEC officials into frustrating the PDP from accessing the BIVAS (Bimodal Voter Authentication System) machines and other materials to flesh up its petition against the September 21 electoral robbery.

“To say the least, this is most troubling, shameful, and reprehensible in light of the wider ramifications of the action of these thugs. It’s quite appalling that PDP lawyers who went to the INEC office were prevented from accessing it despite presenting a court order to that effect.

“The INEC official, who anonymously spoke to them after several hours of unnecessary delays and being tossed around, claimed they were awaiting permission from the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who we are aware is out of the country.”

Nehikhare said it is a known fact that the clandestine and surreptitious game plan is to frustrate the PDP appeal and ensure the petition is not filed before the Saturday deadline.

“This is a great threat to our democracy, and we call on civil society organisations, international observers, and other stakeholders to keep an eye on Edo to stop this resort to intimidation and harassment by the APC to derail the will of the people.

“We have also been reliably informed of plans by the APC to burn the INEC office to destroy the BVAS machines and other electoral materials in an attempt to eliminate evidence of their electoral fraud, which took place on September 21 in Edo State.

“We want to call on the police to take charge of this facility to prevent the planned attack and destruction and also ensure the enforcement of the court order,” Nehikhare said.