Metro

Edo Election Tribunal: Political Thugs Clash, Sporadic Gunshots Near INEC Office Hinder Materials Inspection

Published

9 months ago

October 10, 2024

Clash between suspected supporters of the two major contenders in the outcome of the Edo State governorship election – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) – around Ikpoba River, about 700 metres from the state INEC head office today, Thursday, October 10, 2024, hindered the scheduled inspection of electoral materials used at the poll.

The clash, characterised by sporadic gunshots from suspected political thugs near the INEC head office, Benin City, tensed up the atmosphere in the area, which led to the adjournment of inspection of electoral materials sine a die.

Recall that the inspection exercise which was billed to commence on Wednesday could not hold as planned following an objection raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the inspection process, which was scheduled to kick start with BIVAS Machines.

The APC, while insisting that the exercise should commence with Voters Register rather than BIVAS, later argued that since they were served with the schedule few minutes to the inspection, they did not come for the inspection with their copy of the register, hence, the exercise was adjourned to Thursday, October 10, 2024(today).

However, at Thursday’s inspection outing, trouble started when the exercise was about to commence. State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, drew attention of the INEC Director of Operations to a petition, alleging that BIVAS machines and Voters Registers were on Wednesday brought into the INEC complex with vehicles from the state government house.

The party argued, amongst others that, its petition should be addressed before commencing inspection of materials, an argument which was sternly rejected by representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who insisted on the commencement of materials inspection.

The PDP posited that the petition was frivolous, baseless and lacking the truth, cannot supercede a valid court order and called for the commencement of the inspection.

Owing to the inability of the political parties particularly the APC and its counterpart PDP to agree on the way forward, the electoral commission then adjourned the materials inspection sine die.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the adjournment, Counsel to the APC, Barr. Victor Ohionsumua, said that the APC would 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.

“And on the basis of that, we raised the objection that the petition has to be determined first before we can go ahead of the materials inspection. The INEC legal officer wanted to go ahead with inspection without any directives from the state Dr. Anugbum.

“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.

“The INEC Director of Operations then said that because of security reasons as our lives are in danger, decided to adjourn the inspection sine die and he has not told us to come back tomorrow (Friday),” he added.

As at the time of filing this story, efforts to get PDP position on the inspection argument proved abortive as neither the party state chairman nor council to the party and the governorship candidate refused to comment.

Up Next

Police Rescue Three Kidnap Victims, Arrest 34 Kidnappers In Delta

Don't Miss

15 Suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’ Arrested In Benin

Comments

Metro

Three-storey Building Collapses On Lagos Island, Many Injured

Published

52 minutes ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

A three-storey building has collapsed on Lagos Island, injuring some occupants.

The building is located on Asesi Lane around the Adeniji Adele Road.

According to Lagos State Information Commissioner Gbenga Omotoso, “Four persons have been rescued from the rubble. They have been taken to hospital.”

Emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), among others, have since gotten to the incident scene.

Details later…

Metro

NDLEA Arrests Warri Chief, Ayirimi Emami’s Brother For Alleged Drug Smuggling

Published

13 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

… Group lauds agency

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Emami Ajetsibogho, younger brother to Warri Chief, Ayirimi Emami, for allegedly smuggling drugs worth billions of naira into the country.

It was gathered that the suspect was arrested by the agency’s strike force at Apapa in Lagos State Command following a tip-of.

Reacting to the arrest in a statement, rights activist and president, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, Comrade Austin Ozobo, commended the agency and in particular Commandant-General of the NDLEA, Maj. Gen. Buba Marwa for fighting against drug illicit drugs

Ozobo said, “The arrest of Chief Emami’s brother is a milestone, laudable achievement in the fight against drug trafficking in this country.

“I want to commend NDLEA who were able to get the lead information to apprehend this criminal suspect.”

He added: “As Ijaw people, we are happy that God is vindicating us. The Itsekiris are hell bent to kill the Ijaw people to grab their lands.”

He recalled how a British Soldier from the Itsekiri extraction was recently arrested for smuggling guns into Warri to kill innocent people, especially Ijaw and to cause a crisis in Warri, adding, “God exposed him and DSS arrested the British Soldier and thwarted his evil intentions.”

He noted that another Itsekiri person has been caught allegedly trafficking drugs into the Country. “Who knows whether it was to drug miscreants to kill Ijaw people and burn villages? Ozobo asked.

“Ayiri particularly who has been making all kinds of unprintable statements against Ijaw people, we are surprised that his younger brother is a drug baron. Ayiri should be ashamed of himself.

“This shows that Ayiri Emami’s family is not a reputable family, by wanting to bribe NDLEA with a whopping sum of Two hundred million (N200m) to get his brother released. We thought Ayiri had a reputation, but it is shameful.”

Comrade Ozobo, therefore, urged the NDLEA to investigate the matter thoroughly and prosecute the suspect in line with stipulated laws to serve as a deterrent to others.

“I am calling on the NDLEA to investigate properly and bring to book anyone connected to this crime. If Ayiri is connected, he should be brought to book. Anyone connected connected should be brought to book,” he said.

Metro

Ekiti Court Remands Man Over Alleged Threat To Life

Published

15 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti District, has ordered the remand of a 31-year-old man, Caleb Ajobor, at the correctional custody in Ado Ekiti over alleged assault and threat to life.

The defendant was accused of conducting himself in a way that constituted a threat to the life of a woman, one Omotayo Olowolagba, at the Ekute area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court on Wednesday that “the defendant on June 29, 2025, at about 10am at Ekute Quarters, Ado Ekiti, did assault and threaten the life of Olowolagba Omotayo.

“The defendant did hit the chest of the female victim and conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace in society.

“The offence committed is punishable under sections 185, 46, 181(d) laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria 2021,” the prosecutor stated.

Oriyomi pleaded with the court to order the remand of the defendant in the correctional centre.

Counsel to the defendant, Adunni Olanipekun, however, urged the court to grant his client bail, assuring that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, refused the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the correctional centre.

Adeosun adjourned the matter till July 11 for hearing.