Bickering between the leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the September 19 governorship election in Edo state has left much to be desired. ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes on the fear of violence and the chances of the electorate exercising their constitutional right.
It goes without saying that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in the September 19, 2020, governorship election in Edo state, Governor Godwin Obaseki, went through a tortuous journey to secure the party’s ticket.
Until June 16, 2020, Obaseki was a member of the ruling APC, however, he was disqualified from running for the primary on the platform of the APC over allegations of discrepancies in some of the certificates presented by the embattled governor. This was allegedly because of the face-off between he and his erstwhile benefactor, former governor of the state and former APC national chairman, Comrade Admas Oshiomhole.
Notably, on June 19, 2020, the governor alongside some of his appointees and supporters were received and registered at the PDP secretariat in Benin City.
He was also granted a waiver by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to run for the primary on June 25, where he emerged as the flag-bearer of the party.
As Obaseki set out to run on its own for the first time, without his political godfather Oshiomhole, some analysts have argued that Obaseki may find it difficult to win, noting that he did not perform well in his first tenure.
They question the incumbent governor’s ability to survive the combined forces of Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu, who by all standards is considered a political heavy weight.
Controversy over Ize-Iyamu’s candidacy
Interestingly, Pastor Ize-Iyamu was a member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), then the APC before joining the PDP in 2014, and was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2016 election.
In a calculated move, Ize-Iyamu returned to the APC in November 2020 following the frosty relationship between the governor and his political godfather which is believed to have culminated in Obaseki’s disqualification by the APC.
Ize-Iyamu was subsequently announced as APC candidate for the governorship election by the Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state having polled 27,838 votes, against 3,776 by his closest rival Dr. Pius Odubu.
Since his emergence, some party faithful have continued to question the process, even as some have argued that the party’s flag-bearer is not a registered member of APC, while a few are of the opinion that he lacks the qualify to be the party’s candidate.
The skirmishes
The political tension in Edo began with the internal crisis that led to the leadership tussle of the APC at national level with the Edo People’s Movement (EPM), Oshiomhole’s foot soldiers on one hand, and the faction loyal to Governor Obaseki on the other.
The disagreement culminated in the disqualification of the governor from contesting the party’s primaries, and his eventual defection to the PDP.
Trouble started when APC supporters staged a protest against governor Obaseki at the palace gate and in a reprisal PDP youths who were at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium-venue of the campaign flag-off mobilised to the palace to ward off the protesters.
Consequently, sounds of gunshots rented the air, with several supporters on both sides sustaining varying degrees of injury, just as motorists and pedestrians scampered to safety. Some vehicles, especially those branded with the PDP and APC campaign logos, were vandalised in the heat of the confrontation.
Few days after the palace fracas the House of Assembly was invaded by police operatives, allegedly from Abuja, on the order of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, further aggravating the political tension in the state.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, the Assembly Speaker, Frank Okiye, was impeached by 17 lawmakers loyal to Ize-Iyamu and Oshiomhole outside the premises of the House of Assembly.
This is as thugs reportedly loyal to the governor vandalised the House of Assembly in an attempt to stop the impeachment of the speaker.
Also, on August 13, gunmen allegedly lunched attacks on the convoy of Governor Obaseki during his ward-to-ward campaign at Adams Oshiomhole’s ward 10, Apana Road in Etsako West local government area. Others allegedly hurled stones at the convoy, but they were said to have been dispersed by a combined team of security operatives and vigilante group. Since then, things have not been the same in the state.
‘Politicians arming, moving thugs’
An Election Security Threat Analysis on Edo and Onda states had revealed amongst other indicators that politicians were arming and moving of political thugs, using inciting statements during political campaigns, high likelihood of violence and possible cross attacks by political opponents, misinformation/disinformation aimed at heating-up of the polity and deliberate efforts at delegitimise government institutions involved in the electoral processes.
Following the thereat analysis IGP Adamu had warned politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves properly, play by the rules, and steer clear of tendencies capable of undermining the electoral process in the two states.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, in a press statement, in Abuja, said the IGP gave the warning having reviewed the Election Security Threat Assessment Reports submitted by the Commissioners of Police from both states in a meeting held August 25, 2020.
He said: “The IGP has, therefore, ordered the Commissioners of Police in the two states, Edo and Ondo, to re-jig their preparations for the elections to accommodate and address the threats and emerging trends as contained in the security report. He noted that the Force leadership is evolving customised security architecture to protect the people and ensure hitch-free elections.
“The IGP, however, warns politicians and their supporters in Edo and Ondo that the Force will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law on anyone or group, irrespective of status that may want to sabotage the security arrangement being emplaced for the elections.”
Punish perpetrators as deterrent
A political analyst Jide Ojo has said to stop the daily occurrence of violence in Edo state in the build-up to the governorship election the Police and other security agencies should arrest and punish perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others.
Ojo in a phone chat with Blueprint Weekend said: “Violence has become the new normal in our electoral process for violence to happen in the build-up to an election. This is because previous act of violence have been condoled by law enforcement agencies.
“If when the violence happened in the past and some people were arrested and summarily dealt with we would have seen a better reduction in this violence. The ones that happened in Kogi state how many people have been successfully prosecuted?
“Now, it has been happening for over a month now in Edo state. Virtually on every other day, you hear of violence, property been destroyed and yet the Police will tell you that they are on top of the situation. How can you be on top of something and you cannot take pre-emptive action? Because of the ineptitude or the connivance on the part of the police, some of those perpetrators are not brought to book.
“At every election, you get the politicians and other stakeholders to sign a peace accord. But this peace accord has not really yielded the desired result. You know politicians are also perpetrators of this violence. So, you can’t expect those who are benefiting from something to stop it.
“It is for the law enforcement agencies to do their work. Then they need to gather intelligence and put an end to it especially now that it seems to have become a new normal. They need to prevent and where it happens arrest should be made and the perpetrators should be dealt with.”
‘Electorate should be vigilant’
Another political analyst Aminu Mohammed urged the electorate to be more vigilant as they exercise their constitutional right.
Mohammed in a phone interview with Blueprint Weekend said: “In all this tension and looming violence, those at the receiving end are the electorate. So, there is need for them to be vigilant as they exercise their rights.
“No matter how tense the situation is because we operate a democratic system of government, the electorate will still have to vote. So the electorates are in a dangerous situation in Edo state.
“My advice is for the security agencies to step up their game, protect the electorate and electoral officials. Considering what has happened and what is happening a hitch-free election is obviously difficult to achieve in Edo. But the security agencies can manage the situation and reduce the impact.”
INEC’s avowals
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that it was ready to conduct the Edo and Ondo governorship elections despite drumbeats of war, accusations and counter-accusations from political actors.
The Commission reiterated that, “Plans have been concluded for all the 14 political parties participating in the election to sign a peace accord in the coming days, adding that with all the efforts, it is our hope that the election will be held peacefully.”
INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this Monday through his chief press secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, at the webinar on Edo, Ondo elections organised by the International Press Centre (IPC), said: “All the logistics needed for the election have been taken care of.
“Non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the 18 local government areas of the state. Our electoral officers, their assistants and supervisory presiding officers have been trained. Officers nominated by the various security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) have also been trained and their actions will be guided by the code of conduct and rules of engagement for security personnel on electoral duty.
“To that extent, regardless of the not-so-pleasant experiences journalists might have experienced with security agents during elections in the past, they rest assured of good experience this time around.”
Oba’s admonition
The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has appealed to politicians involved in the election to sheathe their swords in order not to turn the state to a laughing stock.
The Oba who made the appeal in a peace meeting held recently with top politicians lamented that Edo politics has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons.
He said: “What I thought and expected from you was tranquility and a smooth ride and not the unprecedented conflict and shootings. We are not happy about your political fight; we cannot fold our arms and watch you fight. You are from the same state and from the same ancestors, so why should you be killing yourselves because of a position you will just spend four years in and leave?
“The warning is especially for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We are doing our bit internally; traditional prayers are being offered so that there will be peace during the election.
“I want to appeal to politicians to control the youths. I want the politicians to assure us that there will be peace. You do not kill yourselves over an office. This is the worst scenario of all the politics that we have seen in Edo. Edo politics have been in the news for quite some time now for all the wrong reasons.
“I have had sleepless nights over this. My mind is burning up over this violence and shooting all over the state. Let the shooting stop and let there be peace and quiet in the state.
“The two candidates must toe the line of peace just like Jonathan did when he willingly announced his acceptance of defeat in 2015. This singular act changed the prediction of the international community that Nigeria will break up as a result of that election.
“We are begging you politicians, particularly the two political gladiators. You must all do your bit to calm down the tension in the state. Don’t kill yourselves for the election. Everybody is afraid that the state would be set ablaze during and after the election. Please calm the tension, don’t turn Edo to a laughing stock.”
Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu assures on peace
The PDP candidate Governor Obaseki and his APC counterpart Pastor Ize-Iyamu have promised to work towards a peaceful election in the state.
Obaseki had declared on the social media platform declared: “Earlier today, other political actors and I in Edo state were invited to the Palace of the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.
“Condemning the recent attack on my re-election campaign convoy at the Palace gate, our highly revered monarch called on us to eschew violence and embrace peace and tolerance ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
“HRM sought assurance from all political gladiators and a halt to the rising shooting and violence in the state and ensued for peace between one and all.
“On my part, I assured the royal father 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.”
On his part, Ize-Iyamu also acknowledged the goodwill for peace in the state during and after the election which the royal father had sought to commit all stakeholders to uphold. He expressed gratitude to the Oba for his intervention, promising to adhere to peaceful conducts.
He wrote on his social media platform: “I am grateful to our father, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for his fatherly intervention and timely call for peace.
“We have 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.”
