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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday, condemned the shootings that occurred at the Commission’s Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise at Oredo ward 4, Egor and other centres in Edo State.
He expressed his displeasure at a meeting with the leadership of the various political parties and security agencies in the state, held at the state’s INEC office in Benin City.
The INEC boss said the shootings were uncalled for, noting that it is only the people that have the right to decide who govern them, therefore, their rights must be well protected and that they should not be prevented from doing so.
He reiterated his previous experiences in the conducts of two consecutive governorship elections in the state (2016 and 2020) and how they were postponed due to violence, and that the forthcoming governorship election had earlier started on a good note but wondered why the reported pockets of crises here and there at this point in time.
He assured the people of the state that the Commission is poised to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state.
Prof. Yakubu disclosed that the Commission is going to rely on resources from neighbouring states to make up for the facilities that were destroyed by the recent flood that submerged its building in the state.
In his remarks, the Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said the state Commissioner of Police Funsho Adegboye, should carry out his investigation and bring those who went about shooting at the various CVR centres to book.
He said that was the only way to nip the shooting in the bud, stressing that failure to do so now the possibility of guaranteeing free, fair and credible election in the state would be very slim.
Dr. Aziegbemi also called on the INEC to extend the time for the CVR exercise in the state to cover up for the number of days that the CVR machines have suffered some technical hitches.
On his part, the Acting state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, while commending the INEC for a job well done in the state, alleged that the places where the shootings were recorded were the strongholds of the ruling party, moreso the people that are allowed to bear arms in the state are the local vigilante who are recognized by the state government.
He however appealed to those concerned to look into it and know where to lay their blames.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, said that the police and its sister agencies are ready to provide a level playing ground for all the political parties in the state. He, therefore, urged parties to play the game according to the rules.
He said that the police will not spare anyone bearing arms, stressing that anyone caught will be dealt with accordingly.
Adegboye called on the political parties to make the job of policing in the forthcoming governorship election easy for the security agencies by playing the game according to laid down rules, just as he frowned at allegations of bias often levelled against security men by some politicians.
Earlier, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, said that the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, is in the state to have a first hand information from the leadership of the various political parties.
“This meeting was called because of the happenings especially on security matters.
“Some of the centres have been affected by shootings, like Oredo ward 4, Egor and many other local governments.
“Some of our staff have been affected by these shootings. So, it is important that we interact with these security agencies and see how we can profer solutions”, he said.
