Oshiomhole Expresses Shock as INEC officials were restricted and stopped
by some soldiers from conducting their lawful duties in parts of Edo
North, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said the report is shocking as
electoral officials should not be restricted on their own day.
The Governor who noted that the soldiers must have got an illegal order
from their Commander said, “yesterday (Friday) I addressed the Press and
I did say that Brigadier Odidi has chosen to frustrate this exercise in
Edo North. Ironically, Brigadier Odidi is from Agenebode and he is the
one who is giving this unlawful order.”
INEC officials who were taking election materials to Ward 10, Unit 1 in
Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area were stopped by soldiers who
had laid siege to the home town of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The INEC
officials told reporters that were forced to sit on the ground,
alongside their police escort for several hours.
They were later allowed to leave after they got calls from their
superiors. The soldiers said they were acting on strict orders from
above.
Even journalists were not spared the soldiers’ ordeal as the INEC
accreditation cards and reflective jackets were ignored while each
reporter was asked to produce their company ID cards. The soldiers said
the reporters were not permitted to monitor the exercise from one unit
to another as they were only allowed to monitor a particular unit.
Miffed by the restriction of INEC officials, Oshiomhole continued, “Why
the Nigerian Army will be used in this manner, only God knows. So I am
surprised that they are restricting INEC Officers from distributing
materials. I have told the Brigade Commander and I am waiting to see
what he is going to do but when you bear in mind that time is if the
essence, if we finally go and beg the General to please allow democracy,
time is gone. First there is no light across the country so we are
going to have everywhere in the dark. Under such situation, nobody knows
what happens but I refuse to be frustrated and I appeal to our people
not to be frustrated, we will sort things out.
“It is clear they have serious problem taking off. As you can see I am
here and they say the card reader is not well programmed, it is not
functioning and I got report from my Ward Headquarters that there are
materials that are there and apparently the returning officers are
trapped there because the soldiers wouldn’t let them cross their
barricade. From Apana the Ward Headquarters to this place, my voting
centre takes about 10 minutes because of the good roads we have done.”
The Governor maintained, “I have complained to the soldiers here. I have
also called the Brigade Commander to draw his attention to it. This one
is completely incomprehensible because I do not know what the briefing
of the Army is but what Professor Jega said is that in the event of a
machine not working, they have spare to use and they have officers who
would put them to work.
“Now if the Army is blocking INEC officials from moving, this is a new
dimension that we have not heard of before and I thought the business of
the Army is basically to check people who are carrying offensive
weapons, I do not know if card reader is now an offensive weapon. I have
complained to the Brigade Commander, Major General Olaleye and you have
also heard me mentioning it to the Electoral Officer (E.O).
“My appeal; our people have a proverb that when you know that enemies
are surrounding you, you do not go and rub yourself with an inflammable
chemical such that when they just push you a little bit and you sit near
fire, you get roasted. There is no doubt there are enemies of
democracy, there is no doubt there are people who do no want free and
fair elections and therefore I am not going to lend support by way of
any comment that will readily suit the expectation of those who are
anti-democratic.
“I have spoken to the INEC REC in Benin and I believe that Professor
Jega the Chairman should be aware of what is going on in Edo where card
readers are not working in many places. We have gotten reports from
Benin and across the state and it appears the problem is rather
widespread but it is my hope that INEC has sensible alternatives to
invoke when we are in this kind of critical condition.
“I want to appeal to Nigerians, we have suffered enough. One more day of
suffering will not kill us so let us exercise all the patience that we
can, let’s refuse to be frustrated, let us not resort to a shouting
match. By the Grace of God, God will not leave us hopeless.
“As leaders we must provide leadership role, more so at this hour. I
have faith in democracy, it is not a choice, it is the only option. All
of us have to be ready to sacrifice the day. I am very impressed seeing
ordinary people queue up patiently to vote. These are farmers who if
they don’t work, they don’t earn. They are not like urban people who put
pen to paper and steal money and earn even without working. If they
sleep, their production will sleep. So they donate their production
today for Nigeria’s democracy and this is what they get, but I am happy
that they are not fighting.
It is already getting to a critical point, it is few minutes to 11:00am
and some materials have not been able to reach here because the Army
blocked up the roads for INEC, and where INEC has reached, the machines
are not working. I want to hope that this will be solved and so let us
wait”, Oshiomhole said.
Oshiomhole Expresses Shock As Soldiers Block INEC Officials
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Oleh
healthandwealth
