There was drama, intrigue and play on persuasion at the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin City on Sunday morning as Governor Godwin Obaseki was led out of the premises by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Frank Mba at about 4.10 am.
Governor Obaseki, Tribune Online gathered, had entered the INEC office undetected at about 2 am and headed straight to the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, where the collation of the final results of the Saturday’s governorship election in the state was to be collated.
Obaseki, it was further gathered, took the step to monitor the collation exercise when information filtered in that attempts were being made to allegedly alter the results in favour of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor, in addition, it was scooped, had told his political allies that he would go and see what was going on and also to complain about some anomalies noticed from the results collated in some local government areas, including Oredo, where the governor voted.
Obaseki’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was said to have established three Situation Rooms in the state capital, Benin City, and one each in the three senatorial districts, equipped with hi-tech facilities, to monitor the results governorship election.
While officials of INEC were said to have told the governor that he was not supposed to be there just as the PDP candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, was sent back earlier but he was said to have insisted on staying, Governor Obaseki also resisted to be persuaded to leave the premises.
At about 3 am, a combined team of policemen led by DIG Mba, who was appointed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to supervise the election, some soldiers and other security agents entered the premises.
The drama of wits between the security personnel and Governor Obaseki continued for over one hour until about 4:10 am when the governor was seen being led out of the premises by the security men who were barking the military command, “Leave, leave” at the governor.
While the drama lasted, Obaseki maintained his cool as he walked, sandwiched among the armed men, out of the Commission’s office.
The mild drama was complemented by the presence of APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, who addressed journalists, saying that the governor had no reason to be in the INEC premises.
“He is not a candidate. He has no reason to be here”, Basiru emphasised, adding that the governor’s action amounted to an abuse of office.
Earlier, the APC deputy governorship candidate, Dennis Idahosa, had led some protesters to demand the exit of Governor Obaseki from the premises
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