Edo
Edo election: PDP Reps condemn ‘siege’ on opposition governors
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives has condemned alleged siege on opposition governors by security agents in Benin City, the Edo State capital, ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state. The caucus in a statement by its leader, Kingsley Chinda, on Friday night, stated that it is unacceptable that security agencies, whose duty is to ensure safety of lives and property are the ones allegedly causing chaos. Chinda said it is shocking that while All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and a presiding officer of the National Assembly are sheltered in the home of a leader of the party in the state, PDP governors are being harassed. “The caucus find the current siege on Governors by men of the Nigeria Police force and other security officials...
Edo election: YIAGA Africa deploys PVT to check credibility of election results
Barely 24 hours to the Governorship election in Edo State, Yiaga Africa, through the Watching The Vote citizens movement, has deployed its Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology for the election. According to Yiaga Africa, the PVT is an advanced election observation methodology that employs well-established statistical principles and sophisticated information technologies in providing timely and accurate information on the conduct of accreditation, voting, and counting, and it independently verifies the official governorship results as announced by the Independent National Election Commission, INEC. In a statement jointly signed by the Chair of Yiaga Africa election observation mission for Edo State, Dr Aisha Abdullahi, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Guinea and former African Union Com...
Governor Wike asks President Buhari to make Edo election a model
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to make Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State a model. Wike, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for the poll, spoke during a live television programme in Port Harcourt. A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, quoted the governor as saying that the outcome of the election would provide hope for 2023 general election. He said: “Everyone that loves this country should ensure that tomorrow’s election is credible, free and fair. “The police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should show Nigerians that they can support credible elections. “INEC should ensure that result sheets are not in the hands of i...
Edo election: Governor Obaseki declares Friday work-free
Ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Edo State, the government has declared Friday, September 18, 2020, as a work-free day. This was contained in a statement titled ‘Edo 2020: Obaseki declares Friday work-free day’ on Thursday. The statement noted that the declaration of a work-free day was to enable workers in the State Public Service to travel to their respective Constituencies to exercise their franchise. It quoted the Edo State Head of Service, through the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Aziegbemhin P.E, as saying, “Sequel to the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on Saturday September 19, 2020, Mr. Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has approved Friday 18th September 2020 as a work-free day to enable workers in the State Public Service travel to their respective ...
Edo election: NSCDC deploys 13,3111 personnel, 60 sniffer dogs
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has deployed no fewer than 13,3111 personnel alongside 60 sniffer dogs to ensure security during the Sept. 19 Edo governorship election. Mr Abdullahi Gana, Commandant General NSCDC, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen by the Corps Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Emmanuel Okeh on Wednesday in Abuja. Gana revealed that the deployed personnel were drawn from the Corps Headquarters and its commands in Kogi, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo state. He said that the deployed staff would complement personnel of its command in Edo and the zonal command in Benin. He said that the deployment was to ensure that every act of electoral malpractice, violence and other social vices that could affect the smooth conduct of the el...
Edo election: Court fixes October 14 to hear PDP’s suit seeking Pastor Ize-Iyamu disqualification
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned to October 14, to commence hearing in the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking the disqualification of Pastor Osagie Ize-iyamu from the September 19 governorship election in Edo State. Justice Mohammed fixed the date following an agreement by parties to hear the suit after the court’s vacation period. The court had last week adjourned to September 16 for hearing in the application against the suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the court’s jurisdiction being a vacation court to entertain the suit. When the matter came up, on Wednesday, counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Ken Mozia (SAN), informed the court that the matter for the day was the hearing of the APC’s objec...
Edo election: Atiku Abubakar asks voters to vote Governor Obaseki
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked voters to cast their votes for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki, in the Saturday’s Governorship election in Edo State. He tweeted this a few hours after the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, said Obaseki does not deserve a single vote in the Saturday governorship election. The former governor of Lagos State had in a televised broadcast said, “He (Obaseki) does not deserve any democratic ballot paper. Don’t vote for him, I appeal to all of you.” But Obaseki debunked Tinubu’s claim, noting that Tinubu would fail in his attempt “to extend his political dominance and empire to Edo State”. Atiku in his tweet warned against violence during the election. He said, “The democracy that we enjoy t...
PFN urges Edo people to maintain peace during Saturday election
Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has charged the people of Edo State to maintain peace and orderliness before, during and after the September 19 governorship election in the state. Dr. Omobude who is also the General Superintendent of Gospel Light International Ministry (GLIM) – New Covenant Gospel Church (NCGC), in a press statement in Benin City, signed by his Media Aide, Deacon Ralph Okhiria, said the election of an individual politician is not worthy of the blood or life of any resident of the state. “My dear good people of Edo state, I identify and join my voice to the many other good citizens of the state to call for peace during this governorship election scheduled for Saturday, this week.” “The contestants have transversed t...
Edo election: FRSC deploys 1,500 personnel, 35 vehicles
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it had deployed no fewer than 1,500 of its personnel to provide security during the Sept. 19 Edo governorship election. FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), ACM Bisi Kazeem, on Tuesday in Abuja. Oyeyemi said the deployment of the personnel became neccessary because of the heightened concern of political violence during the Saturday’s election. He said the officers and men of the FRSC would assist in ensuring a hitch-free electoral process in Edo. He said that the FRSC team would be led by the Zonal Commanding Officer RS5, Benin, to be assisted by the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Federal Operations at its FRSC headquarters, including Sector Commander RS5.1 Benin. H...
Governor Tambuwal: Rigging Edo election is ‘coup’ against the people
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has said any electoral victory obtained through means other than the legitimate votes of the people was nothing short of a coup d’état. Tambuwal said the Edo State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on Saturday as well as the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for October 10, were test cases of our preparedness for a rule-based and consent-enabled governance. He said this in a statement titled “Tambuwal: Rigging is coup d’état,” which he signed and issued to commemorate the 2020 edition of United Nations International Day of Democracy, on Tuesday. The United Nations General Assembly in 2017 resolved to observe 15 September of every year as the International Day of Democracy — with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principl...
PDP backs ex-President Obasanjo, slams Presidency
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has commednded former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some Nigerian elders for standing up to save the country at its alleged worst times in history. PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, in a statement by his spokesman, Ike Abonyi, said the Presidency should accept the reality and be patriotic.” He commended Obasanjo for “always exhibiting exceptional patriotism whenever the challenges in the country were overwhelmed.” Secondus asked President Buhari and the APC to dispose themselves to absorbing the words of wisdom and “stop grandstanding even as the nation under their watch is going down.” He cautioned the Presidency against abusing and disrespecting nationalists who fought for the unity of the country. He also asked Buhari to guarantee free, fair and ...
Edo election: PDP, Comrade Oshiomhole bicker over ‘intimidation’ of voters
File Photo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo and a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, are in a war of words over alleged planned intimidation of Edo’s voters with soldiers and stockpiling of arms. Edo PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, at a news conference in Benin, accused Oshiomhole, an ex-governor, of using soldiers to intimidate voters in Benin City and Auchi. It also accused Oshiomhole of stockpiling arms in his house at Iyamho hometown in Etsako West Local Government Area for the election next Saturday. It asked security agents to search the Iyamho house of the former governor while urging the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and President Muhammadu Buhari, to call Oshiomhole to order. The...
