• Raises fresh petition, demands!
Kingsley Abavo (Managing Editor), Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State has again tackled the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for what it termed: desperate acts to be made winner of the 21 September, 2024 Governorship election in the State.
The APC accuses the PDP of trying to deploy violence to get its way through, in the scheduled inspection of materials used in the Governorship election.
Also, trying to smuggle in suspected manipulated BVAS machines and voter registers in replacement of the originals in the possession of the umpire; Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Party made the allegations when its State Chairman, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe briefed the media weekend, in Benin as to the state of affairs with the scheduled inspection of election materials at INEC office in Benin-City.
"Sadly, an exercise that should have been seamless has become problematic and dangerous due to the desperation of the PDP candidate; Asue Ighodalo and Governor Godwin Obaseki, as they have continually invaded the INEC office; centre for the inspection of the materials used in the 21 September, 2024 election.
"The brazen gun attack on APC supporters yesterday (Thursday) at INEC office by the same criminals who murdered inspector Akor Onuh; confirmed the danger we have been facing since INEC granted access to inspect the materials used in the Governorship election on the 21 September, 2024.
"Nigerians will recall the consistent appeal by the APC for the police to arrest those who murdered inspector Akor at the INEC office.
"The police refusal to arrest Chief Francis Inegbeneki and David Olukoga and other members of the Edo Security Network has defiantly emboldened them to continue their murderous attacks on our members.
"In the light of prevailing circumstances, the APC demand the arrest and prosecution of all those who planned and executed the attack on our members at the INEC office yesterday, Thursday, 10 October, 2024.
"We add; also that we are unable to guarantee the APC continued participation in the inspection exercise in the INEC office.
"If and when we decide to take part, the APC as a Party shall provide an alternative security for our members and legal team during the period the exercise will last.
Continuing, Jarrett said; "yesterday (Thursday, 10 October) we submitted a petition having seen six Hiax buses carrying Edo State Government House number plates; and loaded with BVAS machines and registers entering INEC compound, we wrote a petition to that effect.
"We demanded that the petition should be treated before we can commence anything with the materials to be inspected.
"What it means is that which materials are we going to inspect? As we speak; to us, we have two sets of materials in the custody of INEC; the original which are in the custody of INEC and the ones they brought from the Government House.
"That is what is in the petition we have written and submitted to INEC. We want that petition to be dealt with and as of yesterday, (Thursday, 10 October, 2024) they could not address the petition and they wanted to go ahead with the inspection and we resisted that and while that was on, one of our supporters was shot outside because PDP hoodlums led by Mathew Iduoriyekemwen invaded the INEC office and that stalled the whole program yesterday.
"But because we felt that they were going to continue, we decided to take a step further by doing a petition to the Chairman of INEC in Abuja.
"We actually hired a jet to take the petition to INEC and it was stamped; received!
"So when we got to INEC in Benin today (Friday, 11 October), we showed the petition to the INEC Chairman and told him that we have already sent a petition to the INEC Chairman in Abuja, and as we speak, they have already called me to provide tomorrow (Saturday, 12 October, 2024) the evidence of those BVAS machines that were going into INEC office in Benin and that means; INEC in Abuja have already taken up the matter.
"So, INEC has decided to wait for the response from Abuja before they proceed.
"Before we left, all the political parties now agreed that they should allow the matter to be dealt with probably tomorrow in Abuja and reconvene on Monday to start the process at 11o'clock.
"All the political parties signed but the PDP refused to sign, and don't forget, the PDP refused to sign the peace accord and they also refused to sign the results; so it is not new!
"But six political parties out of the seven signed that we have to resume on Monday."
Further, the APC Chairman said; "we expected INEC to write to us telling us their findings if possible. But that petition was not only written to the REC, but we copied the DSS and the police. So, we expected that they would have called us to provide evidence but they didn't."
Jarrett explained that the matter of the petition has gone beyond the power of Rec in Benin but now with INEC Abuja.
As he expressed the hope that the whole issues will be resolved within the weekend and on Monday, the inspection exercise will begin.
But in a swift reaction through the telephone, the Director General of Asue/Ogie Campaign Organization, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen said; “PDP members have never been armed and never resorted to using guns.
"Using guns is part of APC strength. You would realize that during their campaigns, they always claimed that they were attacked.
“Our lawyers have been the one going to the INEC office to exercise and execute the valid court order.
"Yesterday, (Thursday, 10 October) when they saw some PDP members wearing face cap, the APC thugs resorted to shooting sporadically which led to one of our youth leaders sustaining injury.
“PDP members are not known for violence. Edo people knew what transpired at Benin Airport which resulted in the death of a police officer.
"APC members are always with guns, and they are known for that. Jarrett Tenebe knows me too well.
“PDP will not relent in pursuing our mandate that was stolen from us by the APC.”
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