Edo Governorship Election: Police Arrest Political Thugs, PDP Members, Details Emerge

• Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been arrested by the police in Edo state
• The police spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the PDP members were arrested for vote-buying during the Edo governorship election
• Adejobi said pre-filled ballot papers, fake identification cards, large sums of money, a cache of weapons, and a detailed plan for voter intimidation were recovered from them

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events.

Benin City, Edo state - Police operatives have arrested two political thugs, Emotingham Godspower (25) and Farawei Isaac (27), both from the Ufunama community, Ovia South West LGA, Edo state and six members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

The police said the suspects were apprehended at So Cash Guest House in Ekpoma, where a substantial amount of cash and incriminating items were recovered from them.

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The Force's public relations officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement issued via the police X handle (formerly known as Twitter) @PoliceNG on Saturday, September 21.

Adejobi said the political thugs are connected to a larger network involving one "Atiku" and a kingpin known as "the boss".

According to the statement, the suspects were arrested during synchronized raids on identified black spots on September 20, 2024, at around 7 pm.

Items recovered from them include a list of voters' names with corresponding monetary values, a collection of pre-filled ballot papers, and a set of fake identification cards.

The police said the six PDP members namely Suleiman Abdurahim, Fatima Yakubu, Yusuf Aminat 52 years, Salihu Lukman 54yrs, and Safianu Saratu 32yrs, were arrested in Auchi, for engaging in vote buying.

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"This group was found with:

·A large sum of money

·A cache of weapons

·A detailed plan outlining strategies for voter intimidation"

Oshiomhole speaks on why Police arrested PDP members

Legit.ng reported that Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole defended the police's arrest of PDP members in the state.

Governor Godwin Obaseki criticized the police for bias, claiming the arrests contributed to the PDP's decision not to sign a peace accord.

Addressing reports of vote-buying, Oshiomhole rejected the idea that economic hardship justifies the practice

Source: Legit.ng