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By Ehichioya Ezomon
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 been 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 revelation by Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership of massive over-voting and inflation of votes allegedly committed in three off-cycle 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 winning 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 retired 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.
“Now that the IGP (Kayode Egbetokun) 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,” Obaseki added.
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 unraveling 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, (Retd), and Bishop Hassan Kukah.”
Tenebe added: “One of our demands was that those who attacked our candidate’s convoy and killed his police detail should be declared wanted and arrested. The Police have promised that they will be apprehended. And it will also not be proper for us not to come because the chairman of the committee, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, is an elder statesman.”
Accusing Obaseki of harbouring the alleged suspects in the Government House, Tenebe said, “this failure of the police has emboldened the governor and PDP to attack members of the APC “at rally grounds and in their private business premises ceaselessly,” adding that Obaseki, having allegedly made inflammatory statements – including that, “Nigeria will burn if INEC fails to declare the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, as the winner of the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election” – has “underminined his position as the Chief Security Officer of the State.”
At the peace meeting, the Convener of the NPC and Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Archdiocese, Dr Matthew Kukah, noting the committee’s supports for the INEC to ensure a peaceful election, charged the candidates to see peace as a foundation for a credible election, and urged Nigerians to be thankful for our country, as some other African countries are in crisis because of unresolved political issues.
“Let us thank God that we have the opportunity in Nigeria to stretch our hands in search of justice,” Kukah said. “I am happy that Nigerians have confidence in the electoral process. The worst election is remedied by another election,” urging Edo people to go out and cast their votes, as they count themselves lucky “having produced top politicians in Nigeria.”
In his welcome remarks, the NPC Chairman, Gen. Abubakar, said the ceremony was a commitment to upholding the peace, unity, and democratic values of the nation, stating that since formation in 2014, the committee had worked to foster an environment for Nigerians to exercise their right to vote without fear of violence or intimidation.
Appealing to the candidates, parties and their supporters to remember that peace is the foundation upon which progress and development is built and established, Abubakar said “without it, none of the promises made to the people of Edo state can be fulfilled,” adding, “I encourage everyone to uphold this commitment beyond the elections and accept the outcome of the election.”
The INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu, who gave the assurance that the commission would continue to play its part in line with the electoral laws, thanked the Peace Committee “for bringing the political parties and their candidates together to agree to a peaceful election.”
The IGP, Egbetokun, stating that the police would collaborate with other security agencies to support the INEC in conducting the election, promised that, “We will remain impartial, professional and vigilant while providing a level-playing ground for political parties and their candidates.”
Governor Obaseki, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Joseph Eboigbe, expressing concerns over the police continued detention of 10 PDP members in Abuja, pledged the safety of all stakeholders during and after the September 21 election.
The peace accord is particularly germane, as the campaign for the governorship has assumed a do-or-die affair, witnessing unbridled incendiary and inciting rhetoric; personal insults and mockery; and thuggery, resulting in destruction of campaign offices and materials, and attacks on opposing party members, including Okpebholo.
In preparation for the election, in which 35,000 police officers, and additional 8,000 personnel from sister security agencies are deployed, IGP Egbetokun has suspended the activities of quasi-security organisations, including the ESSN and others set up by the state government, to check insecurity.
At the INEC stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City, Egbetokun said those security outfits “remain suspended,” as “they have no role to play on the day of election.” He also announced the withdrawal of security aides attached to VIPs, to ensure neutrality and security.
It’s doubtful if the spate of attacks will abate without stern, and quick actions by the Police against the marauding political thugs, who may be rehearsing for the final showdown to storm rival campaign rallies, and/or ambush the rallygoers, and leave a trail of bloodshed and destruction.
The armed men – who waylaid the joint convoy of Okpebholo and the court-reinstated impeached Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, as they left the Benin airport on arrival from Abuja – are perhaps still on the loose, even as the shooting incident reportedly occurred in the “presence” of then-Edo State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye.
Mr Adegboye’s at the airport in a yet-to-be-clear circumstance: While the APC claims the CP was there to effect the order of an Abuja Federal High Court, to provide security details to Comrade Shaibu, who’s reinstated by the court; the PDP argues that Adegboye’s at the airport to serve Shaibu copies of a stay of execution, and appeal against his return to his post.
Baffling, though, is that Adegboye – a possible eyewitness to the armed attack on Okpebholo and Shaibu’s convoy, and the killing and injuries therefrom – was unable to show diligent investigation, arrest and prosecution of the sponsors and attackers of the deadly assault on political opponents.
Unless there’re deliberate efforts to cover up, and shield the perpetrators, the new Police Commissioner for Edo State, CP Nemi Edwin-Iwo – who, until he resumed in Benin City on August 13, 2024, was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Intelligence at the Force Intelligence Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja – may deploy his expertise to unravel the brains behind the attempted murder of Okpebholo (and even Shaibu), and the upsurge of violence in the state.
The PDP and APC have traded counter-allegations about who’s responsible for the series of intimidation and attacks on their members, supporters and party structures. While the PDP accuses the APC of boasting of, and deploying “federal might” via the Police, to hunt down its members; the APC alleges that Governor Obaseki and the PDP have enlisted political thugs and the state-owned Edo State Security Network (ESSN), to attack its members and disrupt its campaigns.
While the PDP and APC have also levelled accusations of scheming to rig each other out of victory – by sowing police and military uniforms, to camouflage, and aid rigging on the day of election – the PDP has alleged that the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Anugbum Onuoha, and CP Edwin-Iwo, are close associates of former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike, with Aziegbemi noting that the PDP sees the officials’ close links with Wike “as a recipe for disaster,” as “they are wont to do his bidding before, during and after the election.”
The September 21 Edo governorship election deserves a free, fair, transparent, credible, and an acceptable outcome. The responsibility for achieving such an outcome rests with the INEC, which should dutifully discharge the onerous task to acquit itself and shake off the stigma of an ineffectual, inefficient, and a collaborative and conniving electoral umpire! The INEC should deliver substantially in favour of the majority, rather than tip the scale for the minority.
It’s hoped that all stakeholders play by and adhere to the laws, regulations and guidelines for the poll conduct, in order to arrive at a conclusive end – even through the arbiter of the election petitions tribunals – without breaking more heads and limbs.
•Mr Ezomon, journalist and media consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
