The Edo State Government has raised concerns over alleged plans to redeploy all security officials attached to Governor Godwin Obaseki, potentially leaving him unprotected and vulnerable ahead of the state governorship election on September 21.
Speaking at a press conference in Benin City on Sunday, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, called on the nation’s leadership, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and diplomatic corps to take note of the development.
He described it as part of the intelligence the state government had gathered “ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.”
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According to him, “We called this press conference today to draw the attention of our country’s leadership, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and diplomatic corps to findings of our intelligence which we have uncovered ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.”
Nehikhare also appealed to the police to stop the indiscriminate arrest of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He accused security agencies of deploying squads of police officers from outside Edo State to carry out mass arrests of PDP chieftains perceived as politically strong in their constituencies. He claimed this was intended to manipulate the elections in those areas.
According to him, “This intimidation tactic is irresponsible and most reprehensible.”
“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 defense for such wanton display of impersonation.
“We have also uncovered plans to redeploy all the security officials attached to the Edo State Governor, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki, in order to leave him without protection and render him vulnerable as we head into the election as well as on election day
“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 electoral process and intimidate voters in those areas.” He alleged.
“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 Kingdome 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”, he pleaded.
