Harvest Of Defeat Affects Edo Three Musketeers As APC, LP Wins Senatorial Seats In Edo
…As thugs destroyed, burnt election materials In National, State House Assembly Polls
…Dr. Enabulele commends INEC for decentralizing Polling Centres
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Executive Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu and the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Barr. Osarodion Ogie were defeated in their various wards by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP).
In Governor Obaseki Ward 4 in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, the election which was supposed to be a smooth election turned violent when some hoodlums viciously attacked officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when it seemed that Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) presidential was cruising home to victory.
Worried that Governor Obaseki’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was losing to Labour Party (LP) during vote counting, the thugs appeared with guns blazing and fired sporadically and made away with some of the ballot papers when the voters and officials of the electoral commission ran away for safety.
Upturned ballot boxes and scattered ballot papers littered the polling centre at Idia College, Benin and also at Mission Road where the thugs also visited.
Going by the outcome of the result which was announced before the sporadically fired by thugs, the Labour Party maintained a comfortable lead with 136 votes in the governor’s polling unit, 24 in Ward 4 while PDP came a distant second with 56 votes while the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 27 to take the third position.
It would be recalled that Governor Obaseki had during the presidential rally in Asaba, Delta State promised to deliver two million votes to the main opposition party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In a related development, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu was defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his Ward at Uzuare, in Etsako West local government area of the state,
Also defeated in his ward is the Secretary of Edo State Government (SSG), Barr. Osarodion Ogie who was defeated by the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi at Ward 6, at Ugbekun of Ikpoba Okha local government area of the state.
Meanwhile, the President, World Medical Association (WMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has thanked the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), for Decentralizing the polling centres to enable the electorates to cast their votes.
The WMA President further stressed that such a progressive measure would make life easier for the voters. The former NMA President in Nigeria, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, voted in his Local Government Area, Egor LGA, located in Benin City, the capital of his home State, Edo State.he former NMA Edo state chairman was seen entering the polling unit 069 located in Ward 10 of Egor Local Government Area, at about 10.00am, in the company of his wife, Associate Prof. Joan Enabulele.
However, after due accreditation of the WMA President and his wife, they were both given the ballot papers, after which they took turns to enter the cubicle where they respectively voted for the Presidential, Senatorial, and House of Representatives candidates of their choice. They thereafter put the ballot papers into the respective ballot boxes.
Commenting in interview with the press after casting his vote, the WMA President, Dr.Osahon Enabulele, described his experience at the polling unit as fair,noting that aside from the initial logistic delay, the process was going on smoothly with good conduct by the INEC officials, as well as fair security cover.
He equally wished all the candidates the best of luck, he particularly commended INEC for decentralizing the polling centres, noting that such a progressive measure would make life easier for the voters.
Dr. Enabulele stated that, the mood of Nigerians before and during the election clearly demonstrates their belief in the democratic process, and prayed for fair,free and peaceful polls in all the other polling units across Nigeria, with undiluted respect for the democratic choices of the long suffering people of Nigeria.
