2023 Poll: One Election, Many Violence, As Families Lament Woes In Edo

THE much anticipated 2023 General Elections may have come and gone, but the scars still lingers three months after in many families in Edo State, following alleged attacks and counter attacks on members of their families.

The elections which came with its pre-hype expectations were characterised with violence in some areas of the state, ranging from ballots snatching to voters’ intimidations by thugs suspected to be loyal to different political parties involved in the elections.

Suspected pre-elections killings were also not left out, as some families members also lamented and cried for justice for their loved ones who were allegedly attacked, killed over their support for their parties.

Prior to the elections, many political analysts including this writer never gave the Labour Party (LP), a chance as it was widely believed that the party was just in name and without structure, hence, it was not expected to make significant impact in the elections.

But one thing that baffles many event observers not just in Edo State alone but across the street was the strong belief exhibited by members and supporters of the Labour Party, who keep believing that their party will pull major upset in the elections.

Their stand for the party as well as their aggressive membership mobilisations drive for the Labour Party exhibited by supporters of the LP pitched them against the other interested political parties, who may have viewed their actions of canvassing votes particularly for the LP’s Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi especially with the Obidient movement slang in their lips as threat to their candidates.

One of the 2023 pre-election casualties was the family of one Okoeguale, Mr. Okodugha and Mrs. Elizabeth Okodugha, who reportedly lost two of their loved ones Mr Okodugha Aged 61 and his wife Mrs Elizabeth Aged 55. (husband and wife) on February 20, 2023 to suspected political assassins in Edo Central Senatorial District of the state.

The husband and wife as well their son, Lawrence Okodugha, who disappeared for fear of being killed along with his parents whereabouts is causing fear amongst family members.They were scooped to have been strong pillars of support for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the Edo Central Locality.

Mr and Mrs. Okodugha’s alleged assassinations according to family sources could not be unconnected with their refusal to jettison their support for the Labour Party for one of the major political parties’ (name withheld) who contested the elections in the country.

A family source who simply identified herself as Dorothy, wept profusely at every interval while speaking to this writer, alleged that some persons who she claimed belongs to a certain political party had few weeks before the elections approached the two deceaseds with a monetary offers, apparently to woo them to their party, but the offer was rejected by the deceased couples.

Another of casualties of the Presidential election was A 33-year-old graduate of Mythological Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo,was allegedly shot dead by suspected political thugs during the February 25, Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Edo.

The deceased, simply identified as Festus Idahosa, was reportedly shot dead alongside three others when some unknown gunmen attacked a polling unit at Ogheghe, a suburban community in Oredo Local Government Area of the state, where he went to vote.

Speaking shortly to journalists after laying the deceased to rest, his Uncle Kenneth Aigbe, said Idahosa left his residence at Nomayo, Upper Sakpoba area to Ogheghe at ward 5, unit 9 where his voting center was located.

Aigbe said he was shocked when he received a call that his nephew, Idahosa, was shot dead, lamenting that the Mythological Engineering graduate was an entrepreneur and has concluded plans to study in the UK for his master’s degree programme.

According to him, “I was called at about 8:pm that he was shot dead where he went to exercise his franchise.

“He left home to cast his vote at Ogheghe Ward 5, Unit 9 and since that day, I have not been myself as it has been a very terrible experience”.

While further lamenting Festus’ death, the uncle, however, appealed to the Federal and Edo State Governments, as well as security agents to arrest and bring the Killers to book.

A friend of the deceased, David Jaja, and his elder sister, Eunice Imatitikua, described Festus’ death as sad and hard to believe.

They commended the deceased for his patriotic tendency, especially after leaving his abode in Port-Harcourt to Benin to cast his vote.

It would be recalled that Festus Idahosa, left his base in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to vote in his hometown in Benin City.

A stray bullet was said to have hit Idahosa who hailed from Egbokor Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State and a mother of two, Elizabeth Owie, as they reportedly died on the spot, while one other victim was said to have died on the way to the hospital.

During the conduct of Edo State House of Assembly elections In Eresonyen Primary School at Uhuogua Community, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, some Unknown Gunmen also invaded the voting center and carted away election materials.

The gunmen suspected to be political thugs invaded with a no numbered black Audi Car between 10 and 11:am when voting had commenced and carted away some of the thumb-printed booklets

Voters who saw the danger made attempts to scamper for their safety when they were stampeded, resulting in varying degrees of injuries sustained.

One of the caregivers of the IDPs, Pastor Evelyn Omigie who gave accounts of the incident, said the Eresonyen Primary School is part of Iguoshodin wards, where voters from the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and other inhabitants of Uhuogua community cast their votes.

According to Pastor Omigie, the gunmen numbering about four, shot sporadically into the air apparently to scare unsuspected voters, in order to disrupt the conduct of the March 18 state house of assembly election in Uhuogua Community.

Another casualty of the 2023 pre-election casualties was the family of one Okoeguale, Mr. Okodugha and Mrs. Elizabeth Okoeguale, aged 61 and 55 respectively who reportedly lost two of their loved ones (husband and wife) respectively, on February 20, 2023 to suspected political assassins in Edo Central Senatorial District of the state.

The husband and wife as well their son, Okoeguale Okodugha, whose whereabouts is causing fear amongst family members just now were scooped to have been strong pillars of support for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the Edo Central Locality.

Mr and Mrs. Okoeguale’s alleged assassinations according to family sources could not be unconnected with their refusal to jettison their support for the Labour Party for a major political parties’ (name withheld) who contested the elections in the country.

A family source who simply identified herself as Ernest Okoeguale, wept profusely at every interval while speaking to this writer, alleged that some persons who he claimed belongs to a certain political party had few weeks before the elections approached the two deceased with a monetary offers, apparently to woo them to their party, but the offer was rejected by the deceased couples.