The Edo State Government has accused the Nigeria Police of arresting 10 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and transporting them to Abuja.
On Tuesday, September 10, Chris Nehikhare, the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, raised these concerns during a press conference in Benin City. Nehikhare alleged that among those detained are a local government chairman and several operatives of the State Vigilante Network.
He claimed that some of the detained individuals have been held for months without being charged, describing this as a violation of their fundamental human rights. “The APC is just anxious about their impending loss and is now using all sorts of tricks to disrupt the will of the people and gain control of Osadebey Avenue. But they should know that the election is already lost for them,” he said.
Nehikhare called on the police and other security agencies to act professionally as the governorship election approaches and to uphold law and order.
He also responded to a statement from the All Progressives Congress (APC), criticizing Kassim Afegbua, the Media Consultant for the APC Governorship Campaign Council.
Nehikhare described Afegbua’s statements as “infantile, reckless, and utterly baseless,” accusing the APC of spreading falsehoods because they are unable to win the upcoming September 21 election fairly.
“The false accusations are products of the APC’s overactive imaginations, as they know they cannot win a fair contest with their weak candidate,” Nehikhare stated. “Their campaign is based on spreading lies and creating chaos to rig the election.”
He further questioned the APC’s and Afegbua’s integrity, pointing out that the APC has been involved in violent activities and using the police to intimidate PDP supporters. “It’s interesting how the APC and Afegbua are accusing the PDP of the very things they themselves are doing. Who has been using violence and federal influence to sway the election? Who has had their supporters cause disorder and violence?” he asked.
