Edo 2024: Obaseki Lists LG Thugs' Plot to Invade on Election Day

• Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Edo state government has raised alarm that some political thugs have taken over some INEC offices in the state
• The governor spoke through his commissioner for communication and orientation, Chris Nehikhare, commending the military for preventing thugs from taking over the INEC office in Oredo LGA
• Nehikhare alleged that thugs have taken over the INEC office in Estako West and Esan West LGA in the state

Godwin Obaseki-led Edo state government raises alarm over political thugs plotting to overtake some offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on election day in the state.

According to the state commissioner for communication and orientation, Chris Nehikhare, military intervention prevented thugs from taking over the Oredo INEC office but reported takeovers in Estako West and Esan West.

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Edo government calls military to secure 18 LGAs

According to Daily Trust, Nehikhare urged the military to secure all 18 LGAs and protect INEC facilities. He assured Edo residents that they wouldn't be intimidated and encouraged mass voter turnout.

The commissioner disclosed that the military prevented thug attacks in the Oredo Local Government area in the state, urging the military to sustain the momentum.

He stressed that it is important to draw the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the development as the people of the state go out to participate in the election held on Saturday, September 21.

List of INEC offices taken over by thugs

According to Nehikhare, INEC offices in Estako West and Esan West local government areas have been taken over by political thugs in the bid to take over the election process.

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He also listed collation centres in Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba/Okha local government areas as planned areas in the list of the political thugs to attack, adding that these are the stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His statement reads in part:

“The soldiers repelled the thugs, and the thugs have since moved across the road from the INEC facility. The soldiers successfully stopped the thugs from invading the INEC facility. We urge the military to carry out similar actions across the other 17 LGAs.”

List of Edo governorship candidates with SSCE results

Legit.ng earlier reported that INEC has published a list of 17 governorship candidates in the gubernatorial elections scheduled for Saturday, September 21.

Analysts have posited that the race is between the candidates of the APC, PDP and the Labour Party in the election.

However, it was discovered that some of the candidates only registered with their WAEC certificates to contest the election.

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Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng