Edo 2020: Obaseki, PDP contesting against INEC, Police

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Friday declared that the party would be contesting against the INEC and the Nigeria Police, not necessarily the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday governorship election in Edo State. The party had expressed the fear of the federal might being deployed by the APC government from Abuja to ensure the victory of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC.

Events were turning out to affirm the PDP fear on Friday. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Chairman of the PDP Campaign Council for the Edo election on Saturday alleged that the Inspector General, Mohammed Adamu, called him on Friday ordering him to leave Edo State but he resisted. Governor Wike was subsequently restricted to the hotel where he lodged in Edo State and was prevented from moving out to observe the election.

The Police action merely accomplished the threat by Governor Umar Ganduje that the APC government will keep Governor Wike in isolation and before he comes out, the election would be over.

Incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki after voting in the Saturday election, expressed dissatisfaction over the conduct of the electoral process. He was of the view that the INEC would have been better prepared before the election.

The Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Osagie Crusoe, had alleged manipulation of the electoral process in areas controlled by Governor Obaseki. “suddenly, card readers are not working in areas where Governor Godwin Obaseki is very popular. Voters are being disenfranchise and we are constrained to say that this is sabotage,” Crusoe declared.