By SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY—Deputy governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, has denied media reports linking his convoy to the distribution of election materials during last Saturday’s local government elections in the state.

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr. Kelly Odaro, he said: “The attention of Edo State deputy governor, Odubu, has been drawn to an erroneous report used by a section of the media after last Saturday’s council elections in the state.

“The deputy governor was reported to have said that his vehicle conveying electoral materials was waylaid and vandalised by hoodlums suspected to be opposition party members in the ward headquarters.

“To set the records straight,  Odubu merely mentioned in the course of the interview, that the bus assigned to escort the vehicle conveying electoral materials to Urhonigbe North, in Orhionwon Local Government Area to avert diversion, was attacked and vandalised by miscreants, whose intent was to cart away the materials for rigging purpose.  And indeed,  electoral materials meant for two booths were destroyed by hoodlums despite the security measures taken.

“It is pertinent to stress that the deputy governor is not the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, Chairman, whose duty it was to provide the necessary logistics for movement of electoral materials.”