By Kenneth Ojobor
Some opposition parties in the country have called on security forces deployed to the governorship election in Edo State not to intimidate voters.
They made the call amid reports that a heavy retinue of soldiers has been deployed on the borders of Edo with Kogi, Delta, Ondo and Anambra on Thursday, ahead of today’s governorship poll.
Detachments of soldiers and policemen were spotted along Akpapava Road, Ring Road, Sapele Road bypass, Ramat Park, Benin-Agbor Road and Oregbeni, a known dark spot in the city.
Seventeen political parties will participate in the election with the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party leading contenders in the election.
Reacting in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, said that Saturday’s election will be a litmus test for all parties involved.
Johnson also expressed reservations about the use of the military, stressing that the soldiers should have been left alone to focus on the battle against insurgency in the North.
He said, “I don’t think it is normal to have the military patrol, especially during elections. But those who are in the government at the centre will always tell you that it is normal. They want to reinforce security and so on. I think the military should be busy trying to end an insurgency that we have in some parts of the country.
But again, nothing we say matters to this government. Let us see the roles they will play there in Edo on Saturday. Whether they will ensure peace, calm and relative order as we expect. We will also look out for what INEC will be doing to see if there is a level playing field for everybody.
“The truth is that Edo is a litmus test. It will let us know whether we are improving from the general election or retrogressing. We shouldn’t pre-empt them. But when we see the outcome of the Edo election, we will know what is coming to Ondo.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, warned against unnecessary show of force, which he said may prove counterproductive.
He said, “The position of the Labour Party in the Edo election is very clear. We are not among the two parties engineering controversies and fighting each other. As you can see, the LP camp is busy conducting its campaign and meeting people in a peaceful manner. And we are winning a lot of support.
