*Clash over rigging allegations in Edo
*Police deploy personnel to 24 states, 185 LGAs, 2,660 polling units

By Clifford Ndujihe, Evelyn Usman, Ozioruva Aliu & Rotimi Ojomoyela

The All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have wrapped up preparations to get the upper hand in tomorrow’s supplementary governorship elections in Adamawa and Kebbi states.

Both parties alongside other parties are also eyeing five Senate, 31 House of Representatives and 57 state assembly seats where make-up polls will also be conducted tomorrow.

Determined to get the upper hand at the polls, the APC and PDP clashed, yesterday, over allegations of rigging in Edo.
Meanwhile,

APC, PDP clash over rigging plots in Edo Ahead of polls in parts of Edo State, the PDP and the APC were, yesterday, said to have engaged in allegations and counter-allegation of plots to manipulate the process.

The APC House of Assembly candidate for Ovia South West constituency, Sunday Aghedo, raised the alarm that the two Electoral Officers, Eos, deployed to conduct the supplementary election for the area had been allegedly compromised by the Edo State Government with the sum of N5 million each.

Aghedo said Obaseki has shown his desperation to ensure that his party wins the constituency by every means possible. “We have cried out severally on the unwholesome activities of the governor to ensure that the will of the people is subverted and now he has come again by giving each of the EOs N5 million to deliver the PDP candidate who presently occupies distant second position after the March 18 poll.”

However, in a statement, Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, accused the APC of planning to unleash mayhem during poll in the state and urged security agencies to be alert.

He said: “Reports across the state suggest that the APC is gathering yet another set of evil to unleash mayhem come April 15, 2023, which has been slated for the supplementary elections in the remaining three seats at the state House of Assembly, and one House of Representatives seat, which where declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Their desperation to win more seats in the state House of Assembly have been observed and witnessed by some of their party faithful who have revealed their orchestrated plans to deploy thugs to perpetrate violence and intimidate voters in the state.”

He alleged that the APC plans to import thugs from some states in the South-West to cause a crisis and disrupt the elections.

IGP Baba deploys personnel, additional logistics for polls

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the deployment of supporting personnel and additional logistics for effective election security management during tomorrow’s supplementary elections in 2,660 polling units and 185 local government areas across 24 states.

The IGP in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said: “In the same vein, the IGP has directed all supervising senior police officers in charge of jurisdictions where the supplementary elections will be held, particularly the supplementary gubernatorial elections in Adamawa and Kebbi states, to ensure the emplacement of adequate manpower and other resources for effective policing of the electoral process.

“The Police is poised to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the supplementary polls to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.”

INEC assures of credible exercise tasks voters on massive turnout

The electoral umpire has urged voters to turn out enmass for the polls assuring of a credible exercise.

In Ekiti State, where there will be supplementary elections in Ido/Osi State Constituency 1, the INEC, in a statement by the Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Akanmu Temitope, said the supplementary elections will be held in three polling units. he affected polling units are PU 003 (AUD Pry School), PU 012 (Oke/Odo Iyedi Near Olumoja’s House) and PU 014 (Hospital Road Near Dekunlola’s House) all in RA (ward) Ido 1.

“INEC, hereby, use this medium to urge voters in the affected polling units to come out in large numbers with their PVC to cast their vote as all needed election materials for the election have been received, while necessary security arrangements have been put in place to safe guard the process.”