Makinde dismisses violence in Edo

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has faulted reports that Saturday’s congresses of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State were marred by violence.

Makinde, who chaired the congresses, hailed leaders and members of the party for a peaceful and orderly conduct of the congresses across 192 wards.

He said the reported violence was sponsored by opposition parties to paint the process in bad light.

The governor said five local governments had been concluded. He blamed the delay in announcing results on his insistence that electoral officers must visit the 192 wards.

READ ALSO: No violence in Edo PDP congress- Makinde

He said: “We have made progress. The electoral officers came in late because we insisted they must get to all 192 wards. Some of the villages are across the river. The exercise went on peacefully. You can see all the committee members and the team collating results.

“It is the opposition’s imagination about crisis. They want to paint us in bad light. Skirmishes are normal, but we handled all the issues. It has been a peaceful and orderly process. All the electoral officers are here. I endorsed the photocopies of results and I am going through the serial numbers. All the aspirants are happy.”