Osagie Otabor, Bénin
THE ward congresses of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held across the 192 wards were marred by violence. Reports also have it that electoral officials were absent at many wards.
A former lawmaker in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Slyvanus Erauga, was beaten to a pulp at his Afashio community during the conduct of the congress.
Details of what led to the attack were still sketchy as at press time. Pictures that went viral online showed Erauga lying on the ground and surrounded by some boys.
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At ward six, Oredo local government area, gunmen shot into the air to scare PDP members away after a disagreement over a list of consensus ward executives.
Trouble started when some leaders produced a list, saying the leaders had agreed the previous night but opponents to the list insisted on electing the executive.
In ward seven, Oredo local government area, PDP members waited till 2pm but didn’t see electoral officials. They had to disperse at about 3pm.
A chairmanship aspirant, Engr. Fred Okah, said tension generated by the absence of electoral officials could lead to violence.
“INEC officials and security personnel were present but the party official to conduct the election did not come. We waited from 9am till 2pm but we didn’t see any official.
There was no congress in ward seven. You can see the people have left. We cannot wait till night. If we agreed on any list, we will read it out. We didn’t see anybody.
The man to preside over the congress did not come,” he said. Oladele Bankole-Balogun described the ward congress as a sham and a mess. Bankole-Balogun said there were instructions to conduct parallel congresses in certain areas.
Chairman of the Edo PDP congresses, governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, said the party stands the chance of winning the governorship election in Edo State. Makinde who spoke in Benin City after a brief meeting with the leadership of the party on how to conduct free, fair and credible ward congress said the meeting was centred on the people and their right to decide who governs them.
He assured Edo PDP that the process of electing their ward leaders would be transparent and void of ambiguities.
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