Unable To Vote, Labour Candidate Demands Cancellation Of Edo LG Elections

Mr Daniel-Ero Onaghise, Labour Party Chairmanship candidate for Oredo, has called for the cancellation of Saturday’s Local Government elections in Edo.

Onaghise made the call during a news conference in Benin.

The candidate, who expressed dissatisfaction with the entire process, said the election was characterised by irregularities that should not be allowed to stand.

“During the stakeholders’ meeting, they said BVAS and card readers would be used while movement will be restricted.

“I have gone to some wards in Edo and it took six to seven hours before materials arrived at various polling units.

“I went to Oredo office of EDSIEC to know why eldction materials were not still on ground, but we were chased out.

“I have not been able to cast my vote at Oredo Ward 6 because as at 2 p.m., materials had not arrived for an election that stops at 3 p.m.

“It is so painful that even me, as a contestant, has not been able to cast a vote.

“Even if I am going to lose the election, at least I should vote for myself; many people have not been able to vote.

“So, I want to beg that the election be cancelled and a proper arrangement  made for the exercise,” he said.

Daniel-Ero Onaghise urged the people of Edo to lend their voices against the electoral infractions because many people, who came out to vote, were disenfranchised.

Meanwhile, members of the party in the state on Saturday trooped out to protest the conduct of the poll.

The members, who stormed the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin, said the poll was marred with late arrival of materials and insufficient materials even as voters were disenfranchised.

Jeffrey Scott-Emuakpor, party chairman for Ikpoba Okha local government area, said the exercise was hijacked by political thugs, who went around unleashing violence on voters.

The irregularities, Scott-Emuakpor alleged, were perpetrated in connivance with local security vigilantes at the polling units.

Similarly, Maccido Eghaghe, LP chairmanship candidate for Ikpoba Okha, said he was shot at his polling unit.

“I have been receiving calls and I took a trip to Idogbo, the administrative headquarters of the LGA which also serves as collation centre where electoral materials are distributed to various wards in the locality.

“The vigilantes shot at me and others at very close range, so I escaped and that is why I am here for the press to let the whole world and the people know that there was no elections in Ikpoba Okha

“Wards 7 and 10 just reported that they forgot their ballot materials, but they are only given 100 ballot papers per unit which does not match the number of registered voters, and this is unacceptable.

“Again, election did not hold in Ikpoba Okha, there were gunshots. I witnessed it because I was shot at.

“I want to appeal to all LP members and supporters to remain calm as we are going to use all constitutional and legal means to ensure that justice prevails,” he saod. (NAN) 

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