Edo guber poll:  IGP deploys 35,000 personnel, suspends State Security Network

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Wednesday, said that 35,000 men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had been deployed to Edo State for the September 21 governorship election

Egbetokun also said that 8,000 personnel from other security agencies had also been deployed.

He said this at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin ahead of the governorship election.

The IGP also announced the indefinite suspension of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN).

He warned that no private or state-owned security apparatus would be allowed to operate during and after the election.

“I am here today to address critical issues before the September 21 governorship election. This meeting presents an opportunity to reaffirm the integrity of our democratic process.

“The task of securing the electoral process rests solely on the police and the police will be supported by other security agencies in the state.

“We understand the vital role we have to play in the election and we pledge to safeguard the process, including INEC materials to be used for the election.

“We have the mandate to provide conducive environment and our approach is grounded in professionalism,” he said.

According to the IGP, it is on that note that we have deployed a total number of 35,000 personnel and 8,000 from other security agencies to complement the police.

He said that the police would strictly enforce the no movement restrictions order from 6 a.m. to 6 p. m. on election day.

He assured Edo people of their safety throughout the election, urging them to come out and vote with the confidence that their safety was guaranteed.

He, however, warned against political thuggery and violence, saying that the police would not fail to deal with anyone found wanting.

“It is in this regard that I direct all local security outfits in the state to refrain from interfering in election matters.

“Therefore, the activities of the Edo  security network remain suspended till further notice, ” he said.

According to him, our personnel have been well trained to carry out their duties without bias.

 

.PDP may not sign Peace Accord, as Obaseki accuses Police of waging war against the party

.Wants Wike’s associates posted to Edo as INEC REC, CP withdrawn

Edo guber poll: PDP may not sign Peace Accord, as Obaseki accuses Police of waging war against the party

 

.Wants Wike’s associates posted to Edo as INEC REC, CP withdrawn

 

However, The Edo State Governor and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has indicated that the PDP may not sign the Peace Accord today (Thursday) on the grounds that the agency, the Police, responsible for enforcing the accord have, through their actions, shown that they are acting in the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and waging war against the PDP.

Obaseki spoke when he received the Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC) and former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, who was on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital, ahead of the signing of the Peace Accord on September 12, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, raised alarm over the deployment of associates of the former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to act as the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the State and the Edo Commissioner of Police in the lead up to the September 21 governorship election.

The governor, had in a statement he personally signed on September 10, noted that since the commencement of the electioneering process in the State, the steps taken by the Police has shown that they are one-sided.

During his interaction with Abubakar in Benin City, the governor expressed worry that the Police under the manipulation of the APC, has arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains who they perceived would be strong political opposition to them in the coming election, including the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun, who was arrested and whisked to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

He noted that upon learning of the council chairman’s arrest, he reached out to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, asking that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the State’s jurisdiction, a directive which was flouted, directly undermining his authority as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the State.

The governor also noted that the PDP chairman had also written two petitions to the IGP over the harassment of the party leaders, which has not been attended to.

Obaseki therefore queried how one enters a peace accord with an umpire who, from the onset, has shown bias in favour of one of the parties in the election.

The governor also demanded the immediate unconditional release of the PDP chieftains who were arrested in gestapo style by the Police and whisked to secret holding centres, noting that if these PDP leaders were legally arrested, they should be charged to courts in Benin City to answer for whatever infractions they are said to have committed.

According to him, “You are very conversant with the politics of Edo State. You were here in 2020 and we had a very heated election. You know this is an off-circle election and there is a lot of attention.

“Unlike 2020, I am very worried with the developments in the State today. The party met yesterday and we might not likely sign this agreement. This is the first time we are witnessing that the person who is supposed to keep and enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.

“The opposition party in the State, the APC has always argued that they may not be as popular and didn’t win in the last election but however promised to use Federal might to determine the outcome of the election.”

He added: “We thought it’s just rhetoric but in the last four weeks, we’ve had a situation where from the office of the IGP, armed gang policemen have come into Edo State to invade, arrest and take away PDP members.

“As we speak there are 10 PDP members arrested and detained in Abuja without a trial. Two days ago, they came to pick up a local government chairman. The Chairman was going back home and was attacked and shot at. We reported and the police asked him to come and give evidence, he came and was arrested. As I speak, he is in Abuja.

“Even if an offense has been committed in Edo State, why will you not charge the offenses and try them here in the State. Why take them to Abuja, are the offenses of high treason? Why not charge them to court?

“The IGP’s office came in, issued a warrant to arrest 60 PDP supporters, driving all our leaders into hiding. My role as the Chief Security Officer of the State is being made nonsense of by the IGP. I heard somebody was arrested and I called the Commissioner to inform him. He said he will come back to me only to hear that he moved the person to Abuja.

“Tell me sir, how can we sign a peace accord in this situation? Clearly, what they are saying is that it’s going to be a violent election and that they are going to use the forces of coercion and intimidation to win elections in Edo whether we like it or not. That is the message. Now that the IGP is in town, we say until everybody arrested is brought back to Edo and be tried here in Edo for whatever offences they have committed, we have no confidence that the police will protect us in Edo State during the Governorship election.”

On his part, the chairman of the PDP in Edo, Aziegbemi, said the party is raising dust over the involvement of Wike’s associates in the election because of the well-documented disagreement between the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the FCT Minister, Wike, noting that the party sees the involvement of the officials as a recipe for disaster as they share close links with the Minister and are wont to do his bidding before, during and after the elections.

Aziegbemi noted that the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) is Anugbum Onuoha, who is a former Special Adviser on Lands to the FCT Minister, Wike while he served as Governor, adding that the Edo Commissioner of Police, CP Nemi Edwin-Iwo, a close associate of the FCT Minister, was deployed to the State barely a month ago.

The PDP chair also stressed that the close link between these officials and the Minister means that the election may have been compromised even before it kicked off.

In a statement, Aziegbemi said: “We are worried that the election may have been compromised even before it starts. This is because we are certain that the officials responsible for conducting a free, fair and credible election are close associates of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

“The INEC REC in Edo is Wike’s cousin and served as a Special Adviser on Lands to him in Rivers State. Everyone in Nigeria knows the antecedents of Wike and his conduct during elections in Rivers State. So we will not close our eyes and watch him deploy the same tactic in Edo State.

“The current Edo State Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, is also a close associate of Wike. We believe he would not act in the best interest of Edo people nor even in the spirit and letters of the Electoral Act.

“So, it is no wonder that the Police have been acting arbitrarily in the run up to the election. They have been after members and leaders of the PDP in the last few weeks, as a rogue team has been hounding, arresting and whisking PDP leaders away to Abuja in a gestapo style. So, for us, the precedent has been set and we will not sit and watch these men cause chaos in the State in pursuit of personal vendetta.”

Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki, has raised an alarm over impending and avoidable crisis that may result from the upcoming governorship election in the State as a result of elements within the rank of the All Progressives Congress (APC) colluding with the Nigeria Police Force to hound, attack, kidnap and lock up members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor, in a statement he personally signed, expressed worry that “In the last few weeks, the Police under the manipulation of the APC, has arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains who they perceive would be strong political opposition to them in the coming election. This came to a head with the arrest and whisking to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, of the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun.”

He added that: “On learning of his arrest, I reached out to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, asking that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the State’s jurisdiction. This directive was flouted, directly undermining my authority as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the State.

“We also have it on good authority that a rogue police team has been provided with a longlist of PDP chieftains to be arrested and detained until after the election.

“All petitions and appeals to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have not dissuaded men of the Police from going about with the mandate of intimidating members of the PDP and launching sting operations to capture, kidnap and lock up PDP chieftains across the State.”

The governor demanded the immediate unconditional release of the PDP chieftains who were arrested in gestapo style by the Police and whisked to secret holding centres, adding that “If these PDP leaders were legally arrested, we demand that they should be charged to courts in Benin City to answer for whatever infractions they are alleged to have committed and not to be subjected to perpetual incarceration, as now obtains.”

Obaseki also said that it has become clear “that the APC and its agents are not interested in a peaceful and credible election in Edo State. The conduct and the collusion with federal government institutions to undermine the electoral process spells a clear danger that must be averted.”

According to him, “It is with a deep sense of concern that I make this statement in the run up to the 2024 governorship election in Edo State scheduled for September 21, 2024.

“In the last few years, we have worked tirelessly to provide stability and engender reforms to spur economic development in Edo State. We have improved the security situation in the State and have, through coordinated efforts by the Edo State Security Council, ensured that the State is arguably the most peaceful State in the South-South, resulting in increased inflow of investment.

“We have deployed technology in checking insecurity, collaborating with community-based security networks, working in close partnership with federal security agencies and leveraging a Security Management Information System through which we track and respond swiftly to security incidents in the State. In the last few years, we have recorded lower levels of violent crimes. Our people are therefore happy and committed to sustaining peace to drive the economic progress made so far.

“It is against this backdrop that Edo people seek a peaceful election and seamless transition of government that would not disrupt the tranquillity and stability in the State.

“Unfortunately, what we can see in the build up to the September 21 election, is what looks like a deliberate plan by elements within the ranks of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevent a peaceful election and stoke chaos in Edo State.

“We have ensured civility, fair play and equity in the electoral campaigns. Everyone has had freehand to campaign and canvass for votes from the electorate without let.

“Conversely, however, there have been persistent and continuous provocative actions sponsored by the opposition APC to stir crisis in Edo State in pursuit of their selfish ends.

“A case in point is the continuous harassment of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Nigeria Police Force. Leaders of the PDP are being hounded and attacked with the ultimate goal of causing chaos and setting the stage to subvert the will of the people.”

Itemizing incidents in which the police has acted willfully in support of the APC, he said: “First, there was a violent disturbance on Airport Road, Benin City, on July 18, 2024, which was orchestrated and executed by thugs sponsored by the APC. As at today, the Police under the control of the APC has refused to effect the arrest of gun-wielding members of the party captured on camera, orchestrating the crisis. Instead, they have descended on members and leaders of the PDP, who were not even present at the scene of the disturbance.

“In the last few weeks, the Police under the manipulation of the APC, has arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains who they perceive would be strong political opposition to them in the coming election. This came to a head with the arrest and whisking to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, of the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun