Tension flared during the early hours of Sunday morning when the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dennis Idahosa, questioned the presence of Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The incident occurred during the collation of results for the 2024 Edo State Governorship election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Governor Obaseki, who arrived at the INEC office around 3:30 am, was met with protests from Idahosa and his supporters, who demanded that the governor vacate the premises.
Idahosa argued that the governor had no official reason to be at the electoral body’s office during the collation process.
Protesters demand Obaseki’s exit
As tensions escalated, Idahosa led a group of APC supporters to the INEC office, where they voiced their discontent over Obaseki’s presence.
The protesters, chanting and banging on the gates of the INEC office, were met by armed security personnel who prevented them from gaining entry.
The protesters said:
“Obaseki must come out. He is not supposed to be here. He is not an INEC staff. Nigeria Police should not compromise.”
APC National Secretary condemns governor’s actions
Surajudeen Basiru, the National Secretary of the APC, also criticized Governor Obaseki’s actions, describing them as an abuse of office.
Basiru argued that since Obaseki was not a candidate in the election, his presence at the INEC office was inappropriate and raised concerns about the impartiality of the electoral process.
Basiru told journalists at the scene:
“Obaseki is not a candidate. He has no reason to be here. The governor’s action is an abuse of office.”
Obaseki bows out of INEC premises
The situation was eventually resolved when Governor Obaseki was escorted out of the INEC premises at approximately 4:45 am.
The incident has sparked further debate over the neutrality of the electoral process in Edo State, with the APC questioning the governor’s intentions and calling for vigilance in ensuring a fair and transparent election.