Hell was let loose at the Head Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Benin City, Edo State capital, following a tensed atmosphere that was characterised by sporadic shooting allegedly carried out by suspected political thugs.
The incident eventually forced INEC to adjourn sine-die, the inspection of the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election materials by political parties on Thursday evening.
This was even as there was a heavy clash between suspected supporters of the two major parties, All Progressives Congress APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) around Ikpoba River, about 700 metres from the state INEC head office where several persons were alleged to have sustained bullets wounds.
The inspection exercise which was billed to commence on Wednesday could not commence as planned following an objection raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the inspection, scheduled to commence the process with BIVAS Machines.
The APC while insisting that the exercise should commence with Voters Register 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 (today)
However, trouble started on Thursday when the exercise was about to commence as the All Progressives Congress through its Edo State Chairman, 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 contended 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.
It contended that the petition being 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 journalists shortly after the adjournment, Counsel to the APC, Barr. Victor Ohionsumua, said that the APC will only return for the inspection of the materials only when their petition is addressed.
According to him, “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).
Also reacting to the development, the factional Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, maintained that the atmosphere at the state INEC head office was not conducive for the inspection to commence.
He said “The experience here is a total melee and not a conducive atmosphere for which an exercise of that kind can take place. It is in my view therefore, that the agency and the political parties concerned must come together look at what they can do to ensure that the exercise is conducted
“For me, a level playing field should be given to those who are contesting the outcome of the election. In order that we can get to a platform that is acceptable to the generality of the people of Edo State.
“For today, there is a total disagreement between the APC and the PDP and I am not sure any exercise can happen here today”, he declared.
