There are indications that out of 1.72 million persons that are eligible to vote in the Sept. 19, Edo governorship polls, 483,796 eligible voters will not participate in the election, records at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reveals.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), an INEC document titled “Delimitation of Edo State”, shows that the ineligible voters in Edo is on account of failure to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The INEC document indicated that as at August 2018, the consolidated figure of registered voters stands at 2,210,534, while only 1,726,738 collected their PVCs, showing that Edo has 18 Local Government Areas, with 192 Wards and 2,627 polling units.
A further breakdown of the registered voters figure in the document shows that the male accounts for 1,159,325 (representing 52 per cent), while 1,051,209 are female (or 48 percent).
Similarly, from the total registered voters, the youth (18 – 35 years) account for 50 per cent (1,105,338); Middle Aged (36 – 50 years) account for 29.1 per cent (643,551); and Elderly (51 – 70 years) has 15.99 per cent (353,508).
Eligible voters classified as the Old (70 years and above) account for 4.89 per cent (108,137).
Further distribution of registered voters in the three senatorial districts of the state shows that Edo South has the highest figure of 1,281,414: the North with 564,122: and Central senatorial district has 364,998.
NAN reports that Edo South has seven council areas; the North has six while Central has five Local Government Areas.
According to the number of collected PVCs, Oredo zone has 240,197; Ikpoba-Okha is 214,882; Egor has 158,817; Etsako West has 128,188 and Akoko Edo with 115,343.
Reactions to a television broadcast by the National leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) have not ceased as the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleges there is a transaction between Bola Tinubu and APC candidate in the Saturday guber poll, Osagie Eze-Iyamu.
In a statement by PDP chieftain, Chris Nehikhare, it was alleged that the transaction led to the television broadcast by former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.
The PDP accused APC of offering its leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu slots for key political offices in exchange for a viral broadcast in which he asked voters to reject Governor Godwin Obaseki.
According to Nehikhare, Tinubu contributed a whooping $10m to the campaign of APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
in his statement, the PDP stalwart lambasted the APC for having “descended to the abyss by dragging one of their national leaders to their dying campaign in Edo State”.
“The uncommon broadcast on Tuesday by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu shows the level of desperation on the side of the APC. Bereft of ideas about how to market their candidate and breathe life into their dying campaign, Edo APC leaders switched on the panic mode and ran cap in hand to Tinubu for oxygen and salvation.
“What many, however, do not know is the satanic pact the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, made with Tinubu before he agreed to make the ill-fated broadcast on his behalf.
“Multiple sources privy to the agreement have since informed us how Ize-Iyamu agreed to Tinubu’s demand to nominate three commissioners, seven council chairmen and 12 board chairmen into his cabinet and government after becoming governor in exchange for the broadcast. Of course, Ize-Iyamu promised an open treasury in pursuance of Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
“To emphasise his seriousness, further support from Tinubu came the way of Ize-Iyamu after Lagos State local governments’ chairmen were compelled to contribute the sum of N300 million to Ize-Iyamu’s election.
“Tinubu topped this up with a further $10m cash which is the cash they are using to con Edo people that it is from the Federal Government, euphemism for Buhari’s support that has been denied them in appearance, security arrangements and INEC instructions.
“It was also revealed that part of the sum has been set aside for vote buying and mobilisation of their lions and tigers.
Edo APC leaders have shifted their attention to vote buying after realising that they cannot defeat Governor Obaseki in a free and fair contest” the Edo PDP chieftain stated.
Nehikhare however encouraged all Edo people to collect the money being shared, considering it as “reparation for stolen funds of our republic”.
It’s a rare scene as Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, Wednesday delivered an uncommon homily to Edo State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) guber flagbearer, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The traditional ruler called on the two gladiators and their supporters to eschew violence and embrace peace and tolerance ahead of the September 19 gubernatorial election in the state.
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, speaks at a peace meeting with political actors at his palace in Edo State on September 2, 2020.
Oba Ewuare stated this in his palace in Benin City during a peace meeting he initiated with political actors to ensure a free, peaceful and violence-free gubernatorial poll.
The message came like a bombshell and the monarch communicated effectively by addressing the growing political fears and tensions in the state ahead of the forthcoming election. The message was essentially hortatory, placing higher moral obligations on Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu.
“For sometime now, Edo State has been in the news politically for the wrong reason as political gladiators have been fighting dirty with their war of words.
“I want assurances from you people, to me and the people of the state, of a peaceful atmosphere in Edo State…
“Please don’t turn the state into the city of blood. I appeal to the two gladiators and all politicians to ensure peace and stop the shooting and violence in the state.
“Let there be peace in Edo. Let us have a good relationship like that of former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari. We are begging all the political gladiators in Edo to give peace a chance; don’t kill yourselves; stop the bitter statements to each other.
“Your home and families are here, so give peace a chance. We are all afraid that the state will burn to ashes. Please we need peaceful election in the state. I want to see that you are not paying lip service to the traditional throne; the Benin throne is not partisan.
“I am entitled to a vote; it’s my right as a citizen to vote, but I can’t vote for one candidate, because it is just like I have already taken sides by voting for one person; this is the sacrifice I have to make to ensure there is peace in Edo.
“Please communicate this meeting to your foot soldiers that they should stop the shooting and ensure the state is peaceful for all. I want both of you to work together for a peaceful election,” Oba Ewuare said.
The monarch has well spoken and it’s incumbent on the two leading candidates to ensure peaceful election come September 19.
Responding to Oba Ewuare’s homily, Obaseki expressed gratitude to the monarch for his fatherly role in ensuring that the state remains peaceful before, during and after the election.
According to him, “As the Executive Governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I have sworn to uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and protect the lives and property of our people.
“I will never encourage violence as it would be irresponsible of me to do anything which would lead to breakdown of law and order in the state.
“I am not a violent person; I don’t have such tendencies. I have not participated in any form of violence and I will not. I have committed enough resources to ensure safety of the citizens.”
It’s also an opportunity for Ize-Iyamu to reiterate his party’s commitment to a peaceful electoral process.
“As a goodwill gesture, I warmly embraced Governor Godwin Obaseki during the peace meeting summoned by our father, Oba n’osa, Oba Ewuare II. Violence has no place in democratic elections.
“I am grateful to our father, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for his fatherly intervention and timely call for peace.
“We have heard his candid message, and we, the APC, will continue to maintain our peaceful approach and rally the people, across party lines, to shun divisiveness and respect the laws guiding the electoral process. We are one people and politics cannot divide us. Ovbi’Oghonwan nei bun aro – Oba gha to kpere, ise!”
The meeting was also attended by two former National Chairmen of APC – John Odigie-Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, among others.
Peoples Democratic Party National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election has called out the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency over the trending video showing the sacked National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Ibrahim Gambari, at the Presidential Villa, in which alleged discussion on the arrests of certain individuals, ahead of the September 19 governorship election, was held.
“Nigerians were alarmed by the video in which Oshiomhole was seen emphatically urging the Chief of Staff to Mr. President on the need to clampdown on certain unnamed Nigerians to achieve political suppression and submission ahead of the Edo election.
File photo of Spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbodiyan.
“Our National Campaign holds that the presence and involvement of the Chief of Staff to the President and the fact that the discussion held within the precincts of the Presidential Villa, have made the Presidency complicit and place a huge burden on President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Already, there is anxiety in the public space that the discussion between Oshiomhole and Prof. Gambari as captured in the video is an extension of discussions that must have held behind closed doors in the Presidential Villa.
“The video has validated earlier revelations of plots by Oshiomhole and the discredited APC governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to use compromised security operatives being mobilised by certain individuals in the Presidency, to arrest innocent Nigerians, including traditional, faith-based and community leaders on trumped up charges, ahead of Edo State governorship election.
“It also confirms our stance that Adams Oshiomhole and the APC candidate have completely lost ground in Edo State, hence the plot to clamp down on the people.
“Nigerians and the people of Edo State now know those to hold responsible should there be cases of illegal arrests, assassinations and unexplained killings, sudden disappearances of prominent people, accidental discharge by federal security operatives and mysterious accidents in the course of this Edo State governorship election.
“The PDP National Campaign Council on Edo State governorship election charges President Buhari to reassure Nigerians by immediately ordering that Adams Oshiomhole and Prof. Gambari be pulled in for questioning over the video.
“Anything short of a decisive action on this matter will further indict the Buhari Presidency especially coming on the heels of public anxiety over Mr. President’s widely condemned comment on the use of security forces for elections.
“Our campaign, however, wants the APC and Oshiomhole to know that their ignoble plots against the people of Edo State have come to naught as the people are at alert and will use every legitimate means available to defend their already expressed will in support of the candidate of our party, the PDP, Governor Godwin Obaseki in this election,” PDP alleged, in a statement by its Secretary, National Campaign Council on Edo State Governorship Election, Kola Ologbondiyan.
Video:
Idowu Sowunmi
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