2 days Ago By Monday Eze
Robert Frost (1874-1963), an American poet known for his realistic depictions of rural life settings, said that: “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. But that’s not what a political party is. It does not exist to love you or to keep you or to serve as the one true faith.
It’s not family or religion. Parties exist to win elections.” Exactly what the parties in the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State aim to achieve: Not to love even their members and supporters, but to win the election by whatever means possible, even if they’ve to break the laws, regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the franchise, and break some heads and limbs in the process.
The high stake of the election has caused a precarious security situation in the state. And with the flaming campaign by the leading parties – the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) – getting to crescendo, the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has decided to step in, traditionally, to avert any untoward happenings across the land. To underscore the gravity of the moment – and the commitment to maintain peace and harmony during the poll – the Omo N’Oba has called for a traditional ritual, known as “Bisusu,” to safeguard the state from potential calamities.
The Esere of Benin, Chief S. O. Obamwonyi stated this on September 11, on behalf of the Oba.
The ritual – intended to “ward off evil from our land, especially before, during, and after the forthcoming gubernatorial election in our dear state” – would be conducted immediately by all traditional leaders, including Chiefs, Enigie (Benin Dukes), Igie-Ohen (traditional priests), and Edionwere (village heads), “using traditional items associated with the ceremony.” Since the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the Edo PDP and APC have rotated the governance of the “Heart Beat of The Nation” for technically 12 years apiece. That’s why the prize is higher in 2024 for both parties headed by incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki and former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, respectively.
Hence all eyes are on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – and the Police – to ensure a “free, fair and credible election,” as the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, promised on August 10, during a mock accreditation and uploading of the results in Benin City. Either in general or off-cycle elections, the INEC has unable to apply the rules to checkmate parties and candidates, who knowingly break the laws, regulations and guidelines that govern elections, with the INEC and Mr Yakubu coming under harsh criticisms, and allegations of connivance with politicians to throw poll results, especially in the February and March 2023 General Election.
The Edo governorship poll comes on the back of a revelation by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership of massive over-voting and inflation of votes allegedly committed in three offcycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states on November 11, 2023. The votes were reportedly inflated by hundreds of thousands above the accredited number of voters, with the INEC declaring the losing party as the winner in Kogi. Head of Athena Centre and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, said the scanning and review of the data in the BVAS machines used for the poll – matched against the results declared by the INEC – showed hundreds of thousands of over-voting and inflated votes for the winning APC in Imo and Kogi, and also in Bayelsa, where the party lost to the PDP.
On September 10 – precisely 11 days to Election Day – Prof. Yakubu inspected the INEC local government offices, and monitored a mock accreditation and uploading of the results at two polling units in Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas of Edo State, to test-run the integrity of the systems, as a routine activity on the eve of a major off-season poll. Promising a free, fair and credible election, Yakubu noted that the INEC isn’t a political party, adding: “The responsibility of choosing the next governor for Edo is entirely in the hands of Edo voters.
Our appeal to all registered voters in Edo is to come out to vote for the party of their choice and the candidate of their choice. The Commission will ensure the protection of the integrity of the process and uphold the choice made by the electorate.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) first reported the exercise.
In another ritual that’s literally on the electoral calendar since 2014, the National Peace Committee (NPC), on September 12, witnessed a Peace Accord signed by 17 of 18 parties fielding candidates for Saturday’s election. The PDP didn’t sign the peace deal, with the Edo chapter Chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, accompanied by the party’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, telling newsmen prior that they won’t sign the accord “because 10 members of our party are currently detained by the Police in Abuja.” “We are here to register our protest before the Peace Committee, and to say that the PDP will not sign a peace accord when 10 of our members have been arrested and detained by the Police in Abuja.
We will not allow a biased IGP (Inspector General of Police), who is not from Edo State, to determine the outcome of this election. We demand the immediate recall of any external policemen currently marauding the state,” Aziegbemi said, as reported by Vanguard on September 12. Recall that Governor Obaseki – speaking for the PDP on September 11 – told visiting members of the NPC that the party might not sign the peace accord due to alleged detention of 10 PDP members in Abuja by the Police, which, as the agency responsible for enforcing the accord, “have shown, through their actions, that they are acting in the interest of the APC, and waging war against the PDP.
” “Tell me sir (referring to Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Chairman of the Peace Committee), 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,” Obaseki said.
But IGP Egbetokun, denying knowledge of PDP members being arrested and detained, debunked the allegation of bias against the Police under his leadership. At the INEC stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City on September 11, he said: “I am aware that individuals, who committed crimes and political violence in the state, have been arrested.” In response to Dr Aziegbemi’s comments that “after the unfortunate incident at the airport (the July 18, 2024, attempted assassination of the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and killing of Okpebholo’s police detail, Inspector Akor Onu, in the process), all hell was let loose,” and that the “police have been so biased under this IG,” Egbetokun said: “You accuse the IG of being partisan because I am bent on unravelling the killing of a police officer.
If you hold the opinion that the IG is partisan for going after the killer(s) of the policeman, I think you will remain with that opinion forever.” The APC had announced a pull-out from the accord a few hours to the ceremony – on the grounds of alleged Police delay or refusal to arrest and prosecute those involved in the killing of Okpebholo’s police orderly during the attempted assassination of the Senator – but rescinded the withdrawal notice, and appended the accord. Acting Edo chapter Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett and the party’s candidate, Mr Okpebholo, said they retracted their decision and signed the document because of “our respect for the rule of law, (and) the credibility of the National Peace Committee, headed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
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