Edo Governor, APC National Scribe Clash At INEC State Collation Centre

… Watch Video Of Senator Basiru Ajibola Inside Story

By Philip Tayo 

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The Executive Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki and the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru in the wee hours of Sunday morning engaged in a serious clash at the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, located along the Benin / Auchi road, venue of the State Collation Centre for the Edo State Governorship Election held throughout the 18 local government areas of the State on Saturday. 

Earlier before the clash, Governor Godwin Obaseki had visited the Edo State INEC office, probably to engage the INEC officials on some specific issues relating to the Governorship election results, which was not made known to journalists till the time of filing this report. 

Hours after Governor Obaseki arrived at the Edo INEC office, the APC National Secretary, Senator Basiru Ajibola equally stormed the INEC Headquarters, thereby resulting into rancour and political tension. 

Fielding questions from journalists who besieged him on arrival, Senator Basiru Ajibola narrating the situation, said, “At about 3 hours ago, we got an information from our situation room that the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki came to INEC office and we were surprised. We even saw his picture going viral. So, on that basis, we came here to seek to know why he is here. 

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Senator Ajibola while explaining, said, “the Governor’s visit to INEC came to them as a surprise, arguing that, as far as they are concerned as a political party, a Governor or anybody holding an Executive position cannot serve as an agent of a political party. 

Continuing, “Ajibola posited that since Governor Obaseki was not on the ballot,  or an agent of his political party, he cannot stand in as an official of a political like himself”. 

Senator Ajibola pointing at the Governor’s intention, labelled him as a suspect, whose attempt was to subvert the ongoing democratic process regarding the Governorship election results yet to be officially collated or announced by INEC. 

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Senator Ajibola declared that he suspected Governor Obaseki whose mission might be to disrupt the election processes from being concluded in the State. 

Speaking further, “Ajibola revealed that the DIG of Police assured he would take exit. He also further describe the action of the Governor as gross abuse office as a result of his sensitive position he holds.

“Ajibola went to state that democracy has its own rules and a channel of complains about elections pointing out that  collation is yet to be done. He notify that  collation was adjourned till 11am in the morning where his party’s agent is allowed to observe. He added that there are also judicial processes for him to ventilate his grievances. 

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“What Governor Obaseki did was selfhelp and selfhelp can only lead to lawlessness. If not for the fact, that we restrain our supporters, almost about 1000 of them already outside the INEC gate, clamoring that he should be ejected from this office.

“We had to plead on them to maintain law and order and joined the security operatives to ensure that they abide by the law. Governor Obaseki should not abuse his privilege of having immunity to seek to harass, intimidate or compromised the electoral processes in Edo State. 

“We learnt that the APC agent was also sent out from the INEC office when Governor Obaseki came. We don’t want to believe that INEC is compromised and I think the attempt and the suspicion is already there. When you are acting as, umpire, you must be seen to be fair to all concerned. 

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*Collation had been done at the ward levels. The results has been announced and as at the last count, over 60% of the results have been uploaded. The announcement that was made stated that the collation at the State level will commenced at the 11am later in the day. 

“Three is no problem about collation. About an hour ago, there are still election in some polling units and voting was still ongoing. But we were supposed that Governor Obaseki brought out the results of 2020 election as their own result. But a news media had to come and debunked that rumor and I think that show the propensity to seek and compromise the elections as a continuation of that attempt, which prompted him to leave his dignified office at the government house to come and sit and seek to harass the INEC REC and other officers of the INEC. 

“If the Governor doesn’t leave any time soon, what will your party do? But we believe he must leave. But if he does not leave, then, the necessary legal position will be taken on this and I won’t say more than that”, he ended. 

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Governor Obaseki was thereafter guided out of the INEC facility by a large of red beret Police officers to have been molested by angry supporters of the All Progressives Congress. 

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