Edo State governorship election is another litmus test for electoral democracy in Nigeria. Ahead of the poll scheduled for July 14, the Southsouth state is not at ease. The campaigns are hot, from Benin, the capital, to the interior parts of the state. The ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its main rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are also locked in media wars. On daily basis, there are accusations and counter-accusations of assassination plots, rigging and general insecurity.
Monarchs and other prominent indigenes are worried by the tension unleashed by political combatants. Royal fathers have been making spirited appeals to politicians on both divides to abide by the rules of the game. So far, their counsels may have fallen on deaf ears. Clashes between rival supporters have left scores injured, as politicians recruits miscreants to disturb public peace.
The ACN the campaign has been issue-oriented. Governor Adams Oshiomole, who is assiduously working to secure a fresh mandate, is eager to present his score card in the neighbourhood at colourful rallies. The ruling party said the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chief has impressed the people with his brilliant performance in the last four years. But his main challenger, PDP’s Charles Airhiavbere, a retired General, has objected to the claim. He is also leaving no stone unturned to succeed the comrade-governor. Although observers contend that he is handicapped by the past failure of the PDP in the state and dearth of the Federal Government projects since 1999.
In the last four years, the PDP has been engulfed in crisis in the state. Its leaders have engaged themselves in a battle of supremacy. When its candidate in 2007 election, Prof. Oserhieme Osunbor, was deposed by the Court of Appeal for getting to power through the back door, the ego of political god-fathers was further bruised. Fixing Gen. Airhiavbere became the ultimate priority, although the party remains disunited. Another minus to the opposition platform is that its chieftains have been defecting to the ACN across the local governments.
However, the electoral climate is cloudy in the state. Campaigns have been marred by hooliganism, arson, and teleguided thuggery. Barely a month ago, the governor’s convoy was attacked on the road. A vehicle rammed into it, claiming the lives of three reporters attached to the Osadebe Government State House. Oshiomole, who told the whole whole word he was the target, escaped. His party pointed accusing finger at PDP agents, urging the police to investigate the incident. The rival party immediately absolved any of its members of complicity, alleging the governor drove without a valid license. Security agents are still combing the state and fishing for information.
Few weeks later, the governor’s private secretary, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, became a casuality. He was murdered. Oshiomole cried foul, saying that the PDP was on the rampage in its desperation to capture the state through whatever means, including violence. PDP chairman Dan Orbih, said his party had no hand in the killing. He fired back at the ACN, urging the ruling party to look inward for the rain of terror in the state.
During the failed registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, a man suspected to be a PDP agent was arrested for carting away a Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machine. The ACN also alleged the PDP was conniving with electoral officers to register non-residents, under-aged and thugs, who they intend to use to manipulate the forthcoming election in its favour.
Now, arrangements are underway by the PDP leadership to storm the state for a mother of all rallies. A committee, headed by Vice President Namadi Sambo is said to be working out the logistics for the Edo project. Already, another PDP chieftain from Osun State, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said the Edo project is critical to the party’s survival. Sources said that Edo PDP relies on the presidential might and heavy funding to unseat the ACN. In fact, President Goodluck Jonathan is said to be interested in restoring the lost glory of the party in the state. Also, there have been reports about an intelligent report which gave the President the assurance that the PDP would bounce back into the Government House in a free and fair election.
However, the ACN described the PDP’s thinking as wishful, reminding the President that the foot soldiers of the PDP failed woefully from delivering the state to Dr. Jonathan in the last general elections. The party also said the plot to capture the state by PDP would fail because it is an unwanted party.
Lamenting the growing insecurity, the ACN said it is not unconnected with the PDP’s desperation to rig the poll as it did in 2007. The party urged the Police Inspector-General (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar to investigate the murder, assassination attempts and violence being perpetuated by unpatriotic elements ahead of the governorship election.
ACN spokeman Dan Owegie maintained that desperate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the state perceived the forthcoming poll as a do-or-die affair, thereby heating up the polity. He also urged the police boss to investigate the extent of PDP’s culpability in the failed registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), especially the attempt by suspected PDP agents to cart away DDC machines.
Owegie complained the PDP chair has embarked on virulent and provocative media attacks on Oshiomole at a time the people are rooting for his second term ambition, alerting the PDP is bent on promoting violence before and during the election.
He alleged that the investigation of the slain governor’s private secretary, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, the attack on the governor’s convoy, and other forms of political violence in the state followed the meeting conveyed by the PDP godfathers, where the controversial decision to unleash mayhem on the state was taken without sparring thoughts for the future.
Owegie said that it is curious and ironical that the PDP governorship candidate has been promising to provide security for Edo people at a time his party is disrupting the peace of the state.
The publicity secretary said the attack on the governor and the ACN in the state has been accompanied by moves by the PDP to rig the poll, as revealed by opposition party’s desperation to manipulate the voter register update.
He said: “It is disheartening that a politically spent force, who cannot win a polling booth in Yorubaland, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, had boasted that Edo State is crucial to the PDP and that its national leadership will relocate to the state to ensure that they win the state at all cost.”
Owegie implored the IGP to thoroughly investigate the assassinations and manipulation of INEC by the PDP and make the report of the findings public. He said Oshiomole’s N10 million promise to any person who can assist in unraveling his private secretary’s murder should not cause panic in the PDP if its members are innocent, he said.
The party chieftain urged those playing god in Edo politics to remember that they would not escape the wrath of God. He described the PDP chair’s remark that the truck that rammed into the governor’s convoy and killed journalist belonged to the ACN as worrisome, more so that the investigation into the incident has not been concluded.
Owegie maintained that the arrest of the alleged PDP agent with the DDC machine before the commencement of registrations, showed the PDP had perfected its rigging strategies.
He said the ACN is ready for free a free and fair election, urging the PDP candidate to come into the ring to test his popularity without relying on the rigging tactics of the PDP, which is bound to fail. Owegie added: “We are all interested in the on-going investigation and we urge the police to be professional in getting to the bottom of the mindless assassinations, murder and failed manipulation of the electoral process without fear or favour”.
Culled from the Punch
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