By TheNewspad
The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) Candidates are in a comfortable lead across the 10 Congruencies in Edo South Senatorial districts in the state house of Assembly election held on Saturday March 18 in the State.
The data which were seen by TheNewspad, ahead of the official declaration of results in the election held in the State, indicates that the ruling party, is leading in most parts of Edo Central and Edo South Senatorial district.
Some of the Constituencies that PDP Candidates are leading in Edo South, include Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwode and Akoko-Edo except Owan East State Constituencies, which were won by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC that has being largely dominated by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has so far cleared majority of the seats in Etsako West, Etsako Central and Etsako East Constituencies, while the Labour party Candidates are also trailing on the rear.
The Governor is battling to secure majority in the next Assembly in his bid to ward-off his impeachment threat and probe by his perceived political enemies, ahead of the inauguration of the 7th Assembly.
The had plunged himself on the horns of dilemma after his party lost in all the house of Representatives and Senatorial seats held along with the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State.
to APC and Labour Candidates.
Obaseki and members of his team, however shrug off the setback and intensified their campaigns across the State thereafter by serving the desperate parts, redeem the image of the umbrella party whose stock has been on the lull and bring back the bacon to his stead.
Addressing reporters after casting his ballot with his wife, Betsy, in Emokpae Primary school on Saturday poll that was marred by voter inducement, low turn out of voters and reported cases of violence in some parts of the State, governor Godwin Obaseki blamed extreme security measures on low turnout of voters in the election.
Obaseki, however appealed to security agencies monitoring the election to relax the security barricade across Benin City, to allow voters move to their polling units to exercise their civic duties.
“This is the worst voters turnout l have seen or experienced in this centre. The extreme security measures taken should be relaxed. As you can see, there is a total lock down of the city, preventing people from exercising their civic responsibility.
“It is important we have security during the election but it should not be overwhelming. The overwhelming presence of security men across the city is scary. Most people might want to stay way from their polling units”, according to the Governor.
He said, “People whose polling units have been moved can’t walk to their new polling units. People would need to drive to where they vote but with the kind of barricade that have been put across the city, they will not be able to reach their polling units”.
Disturbing footages of political thugs, disrupting polls and ballot snatching during the election where police personnel bound-in election duty, look on, and activities of vote-buyers have become a source to election Observers and other stakeholders.
Supporters and members of the political parties fielding Candidates in the election, expect a positive outcome after a long wait.
As governor Obaseki continues to work tight ropes, his desire for his party to swing the lead in the 24-member house of Assembly for a smooth sail waved-in against the veil drawn by his perceived political enemies remain his nightmare.
His predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had hinted shortly before the election that the next Assembly is hungry to probe how the state governor Obaseki spends public funds during his tenure in office in November 12, 2024.
Oshiomhole comments come three weeks after Obaseki through the State Commissioner for Communication, Chris Nehikhare, ordered his predecessor’s arrest for allegedly mobilising thugs to vandalise banks and disrupt the peace of the State over the naira scarcity before the humiliating defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidates in the National Assembly seats in February 23, 2023 polls.
Addressing journalists in Benin City, the State Capital, ahead of Saturday March 11th 2023 Governorship and State house of Assembly elections, Oshiomhole, urged his successor not to be scared of impeachment if he has performed well in office since the past seven years, ahead of the inauguration of the 7th legislative Assembly in June 2023.
Oshiomhole, former National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said, “The purpose of the House of Assembly is to subject the Executive to legislative scrutiny. It is not for nothing that you spend millions, if not billions, maintaining a parliament.
According to him, most of the incoming Candidates of the Assembly are “hungry to ensure that the governor spends resources in a manner that captures the aspirations of their various constituents. Sacking the governor is not in their manifesto”.
He emphasized that if Obaseki had performed well as Edo State Governor, then he shouldn’t be worried about the electorate voting against his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Governor said, “of the number of people who are contesting, how many are new members who are seeking election for the first time and how many are old members who probably have been elected before?” he asked.
“There is no truth in it unless the governor feels that he has committed so much atrocities that he is now afraid that he cannot stand the rigour of democratic governance.
“The purpose of the House of Assembly is to subject the Executive to legislative scrutiny. It is not for nothing that you spend millions, if not billions, maintaining a parliament”.
The face-off between Obaseki and his former ally, Oshiomhole, deepened after Mr Jonathan Ayuba-led All Progressives Congress (APC) screening Committee for Edo State Governorship election, disqualified Mr Godwin Obaseki from seeking re-election on the platform of the party, prompting him and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, to resign their membership from APC in July 2020 and joined the PDP, which gave the duo the party’s governorship ticket to contest September 19, 2020 Governorship election in the State.
TheNewspad recalls that former Speaker of the 24-members State house of Assembly, Hon. Frank Okiye, had declared the seats of ten house of Assembly members-elects for failing to present themselves for the nocturnal inauguration of the Assembly on June 17th 2019, following a purported proclamation letter was issued by Governor Obaseki, while two other APC members — Mr. Uyi Ekhosuehi and Mr. Eric Okaka representing Oredo East and Owan East Constituency for not meeting the mandatory 180 sitting days as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) months later.
The APC members-elect in the outgoing house of Assembly otherwise called ‘absentee members elect’ are Mr. Vincent Uwadiae, Ovia North-East II; Ugiagbe Dumez, Ovia North-East I; Washington Osifo, Uhunmwode; Victor Edoror, Esan Central; Kingsley Ugabi, Etsako East and Michael Ohio-Ezomo, Owan West State Constituencies.
Others are Sunday Aghedo, Ovia South-West; Chris Okaeben, Oredo West; Crosby Eribo, Egor; Aliyu Oshiomhole, Etsako West II; Oshomah Ahmed, Etsako Central and Ganiyu Audu, Etsako West 1.
Leave a Reply