PDP Reacts As Suspected Gunmen Kidnap Nine Electoral Officers In Edo

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its regret over the abduction of nine electoral officers at Etsako Central local government area of the state during the conduct of the ward delegates Congress.

It was reported earlier that the electoral officers scheduled to conduct the ward delegates Congress were ambushed and whisked at Jattu in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state by some yet-to-be-identified persons.

Addressing journalists earlier today in Benin, the PDP chairman in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, said the party is deeply saddened by the event.

Aziegbemi, who conveyed his sorrowful sentiments during a press briefing in Benin regarding the accomplished ward delegates Congress preceding the party’s primaries in the state, affirmed that the process was conducted peacefully and with integrity, except for the unfortunate incident of the kidnapped electoral officers.

In his statement, he emphasized that the entire exercise was characterized by peace, fairness, and credibility.

However, he said the party encountered that single incident, noting that the panel headed by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has decided to nullify Etsako Central.

Aziegbemi added: “So, we are not going to have results from Etsako Central. And why is that so? The vehicle conveying the electoral officers was kidnapped somewhere in Jattu on Sunday morning.

“The Commissioner of Police was immediately called upon to get to the bottom of this; the DPO, the vigilante around that area, was tagged on the issue.

“Unfortunately, as at the time we were closing the Congress (Sunday), we could not lay hands on the electoral officers.

“I am sure that the panel, in their wisdom, decided that leaving out Etsako Central will not have any substantial effect on the overall results in the area of the governorship primaries that will take place on the 22nd of February this year.

“We are expecting that Etsako Central was supposed to give us 31 delegates and overall, we are expecting 594 delegates to vote on the 22 of February.

“So, if you take that ratio 31 to 594, you will agree with the panel that, perhaps, that is the best decision they have taken.”

Aziegbemi confidently stated that the state’s security agencies have consistently excelled in their duties, dismissing any concerns about the election exacerbating insecurity.

The PDP chieftain said: “I don’t think that the security situation increases in the state because of the forthcoming election, I don’t think so. You guys need to give kudos to the security agencies. Yesterday, the security network was robust.

“We visited some centres in Oredo. The number of security I saw in those centres: we activated the Edo Security Network, we activated the police, and the DSS were in lofty; I saw most of them because I know them. It was robust.

“Only that one incident, nobody ever promised that he will have 100 per cent success in some of these things, but this is unfortunate, we regret it, we are sad about it, and we expect that those people will be released on time,” Aziegbemi said.

The chairman of the ruling party emphasized the importance of caution in the statements made by the nine governorship aspirants who chose to boycott the exercise.

He warned them about the potential negative impact on the party’s reputation and urged them to direct their concerns to the committee led by Seriaki Dickson, the former governor of Bayelsa state, which the party established. He also expressed the party’s intention to reconcile and maintain their position of power in the state.