By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – THREATS of security breaches including allegations that vehicles with government house plate numbers were allegedly sighted going into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office with elections materials on Thursday stalled the inspection of election materials by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other political parties that participated in the September 21st governorship election.
This was as there was an alleged clash between suspected supporters of the APC and the PDP around Ikpoba River, about three kilometres from the INEC office.
The inspection exercise which was billed to commence on Wednesday could not hold following an objection raised by the APC against the inspection, scheduled to commence with the inspection of BIVAS Machines as the party insisted that based on the court order it obtained, the exercise should commence with the Voters Register.
All the parties later agreed that the exercise would commence on Thursday.
Trouble started on Thursday when the exercise was about to commence and the APC acting State Chairman, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, drew the attention of the INEC official present to a petition, alleging that BIVAS machines and Voters Registers were on Wednesday allegedly brought into the INEC complex with vehicles from the state government house.
The party contended amongst others that its petition should be addressed before commencing the inspection of materials, an argument which was rejected by representatives of the PDP who insisted on the commencement of materials inspection.
Owing to the inability of the political parties to agree, the electoral commission then adjourned the materials inspection sine die.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the adjournment, Counsel to the APC, Barr. Victor Ohionsumua, said that the APC will only return for the inspection of the materials only when their petition is addressed.
He said: “The state APC Chairman this morning, (Thursday) submitted a petition to the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Onuoha Anugbum, the Commissioner of Police and Department of State Services (DSS) in Edo that he noticed and saw BIVAS machines and Voters’ Register entering INEC complex a few days ago with Edo State Government vehicles
“We insisted that we must hear from the REC and our petition must be determined before we move forward. In the process, the place (INEC office) became rowdy and we started hearing gunshots outside the complex.”
Also reacting to the development, the factional Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, maintained that the atmosphere at the state INEC head office was not conducive for the inspection to commence.
He said “The experience here is a total melee and not a conducive atmosphere for which an exercise of that kind can take place. It is my view, therefore, that the agency and the political parties concerned must come together and look at what they can do to ensure that the exercise is conducted
“For me, a level playing field should be given to those who are contesting the outcome of the election. So that we can get to a platform that is acceptable to the generality of the people of Edo State.
“For today, there is a total disagreement between the APC and the PDP and I am not sure any exercise can happen here today”, he said
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