Edo Election: Quasi-security outfits not allowed – IGP

Published

2 weeks ago

September 15, 2024

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With days to the September 21 Governorship Election in Edo State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun says quasi-security outfits won’t be allowed to intervene in election security in the South-South state.

He stated this Sunday during the Edo Election Security Townhall, a programme organised by Channels Television in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative and the UK International Development.

Egbetokun said, “We will be impartial, we will be professional, and we will be vigilant whilst providing a level playing ground for all the political parties and their candidates.

“Quasi-security organisations would not be allowed to take part in this election. They will not be allowed to intervene in the election security. Just as we have done in previous elections, only the police and other security agencies will be lawfully deployed for this exercise.

“For those who may be thinking of using violence to disrupt the election, I have a warning for them. Any person or persons found bearing any offensive weapon on the day of election will be treated instantly as an armed criminal.”

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Egbetokun assured citizens of the state of “peaceful outcomes”.

With the IGP’s comment, the Edo State Security Network and other state-run and private-run outfits are banned from election security next Saturday.

The political temperature in the state has been turbocharged in the last year. Of note, 95 cases of violence including 35 incidents of electoral violence have been recorded since January this year in the state. Last week, the Peoples Democratic Party declined to sign a peace pact signed by 16 other parties fielding candidates in the poll.

Analysts have described the forthcoming poll as a three-horse race involving Asue Ighodalo of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).

Akpata is a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); while Ighodalo, former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG); secured the endorsement of the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, who shunned his deputy and party man, Philip Shaibu. Shaibu and former governor Adams Oshiomhole have pledged their support for Okpebholo.

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Over 2.6 million registered voters from 18 local government areas are to decide the next governor of the South-South state.

Edo is one of the eight states where governorship elections are held off-season due to litigations and court judgements. Others are Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun and Ondo.

Related Topics:EDO ELECTION EGBETOKUN Police

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Tinubu’s planned cabinet reshuffle won’t make any difference, says Buba Galadima

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1 hour ago

September 28, 2024

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Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says President Bola Tinubu‘s planned cabinet reshuffle would not make any difference.

On September 25, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Tinubu “has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet and he will do it”.

Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels TV on Friday, Galadima said reshuffling the cabinet would not curb food inflation.

Galadima claimed that the president intends to reward his cronies with the reshuffle.

“That (planned cabinet reshuffle) has nothing to do with me or any Nigerian. What is of importance to all of us is bringing down the harsh conditions of living and the buck stops only on the table of one man. That is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Galadima said.

“No amount of reshuffling can make a difference. As far as that team is only ‘job for the boys,’ nothing will come out of it.

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“Anybody that calls himself president or governor is responsible for their cabinet’s performance. He should be told that some of his appointees are more interested in their pockets than service delivery.

“I expected him to do better than this; and to hit the ground running.”

The NNPP chieftain asked Tinubu to find a solution to the country’s foreign exchange crisis “which has seen the naira performing abysmally”.

There have been growing calls from Nigerians and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet and remove underperforming ministers.

Tinubu’s policies have driven petrol prices to record highs and depreciated the naira to record lows since he assumed the reins on May 29, 2023.

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Israel claims Hezbollah leader killed in Beirut strike

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2024

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The Israeli military announced early Saturday that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a strike on Beirut.

“Hassan Nasrallah is dead,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani announced on X. Military spokesman Captain David Avraham also confirmed to AFP that the Hezbollah chief had been “eliminated” following strikes Friday on the Lebanese capital.