PDP urges security beef-up ahead of Edo poll as group seeks probe of Oshiomhole’s convoy crash

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has urged the authorities to beef up security in the state ahead of the September 19 governorship election, to ensure that the people’s will is not subverted.

Briefing journalists in Benin City, Chairman of Edo PDP, Tony Azegbemi, said the move was to ensure peaceful, free and credible election on September 19.

Azegbemi, who charged security to be up and doing before, during and after the election, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist the attempt by some political actors in the state to subvert the will of the people during the election.

His words: “We go about our campaign with peace and love. Unfortunately, we have to put it on record that the All Progressives Congress (APC) made feeble attempts to disrupt our campaigns.

“We call on the Commissioner of Police (CP), Johnson Kokumo, to rise up to the occasion. His efforts thus far leave much to be desired. We call on other security operatives to step up their game before the ballot, especially on the day of the election.”

MEANWHILE, Truth and Justice Vanguard (TJV) has called for proper police investigation into the recent accident involving the convoy of former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, in Benin City, which claimed two policemen and left others with injuries.

Briefing journalists in Benin City, Coordinator of the group, Mr. Hilary Ayokhai, who raised suspicion on the number of accidents involving Oshiomhole, particularly during electioneering, said the recent one made the call for probe more compelling.

“We, the members of Truth and Justice Vanguard, want to use this opportunity to call on the police and other security operatives to urgently investigate all the accidents involving Oshiomhole’s convoy. This call for investigation has become very imperative, considering that fatal accidents during electioneering have become a recurring decimal in the convoy of Oshiomhole,” he said.

Oshiomhole, on his way to Usen recently to join the APC campaign team for the September 19 governorship election, was involved in a fatal accident near Oluku junction in Ovia North-East Council of Edo.