1 month ago
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The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised concerns about the alleged partisanship of the police ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
Tony Aziegbemi, the Edo PDP Chairman, addressed journalists in Benin on Sunday, expressing the party’s discomfort with the police’s disposition.
Aziegbemi cited instances where the police seemingly acted in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting that they are working for the opposing party.
Aziegbemi said, “This is to express our concern about the disposition of the police ahead of the September 21, governorship election in the state.
“The party has witnessed instances where the police acted in a manner that suggested that they are a wing of the All Progressives Congress.
“The operatives’ actions and inaction at the state and national levels paint a picture that they are working for the APC.”
He mentioned the arrest and arraignment of Rev. Olu Martins, the Deputy Director of Media for the PDP Election Campaign Council, based on a petition against him.
In contrast, Aziegbemi noted that the police failed to take action on a petition submitted against the APC state chairman, who allegedly threatened to mobilize youths to stone Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The PDP chairman also alleged that the police have deployed a tactical team to arrest and harass at least 22 PDP members and leaders, who are currently under surveillance.
He added, “However, I, the chairman of the PDP in Edo State wrote a petition over comments by the chairman of the state’s chapter of the APC where he threatened to mobilise and lead youths to stone Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“A video evidence of this threat and an accompanying petition was submitted to the Commissioner of Police in Edo State.
“Surprisingly, no action has been taken on the matter since the petition was submitted unlike the swift manner in which the police responded to the petition against Martins.
“The police have also deployed a tactical team of policemen to arrest and harass at least 22 members and leaders of the PDP who are currently under heavy surveillance.”
However, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Funsho Adegboye, dismissed the allegations of bias, directing any concerns to Abuja.
George Oshogwe Ogbolu is a Digital Media Strategist | Content Writer | Journalist | New Media Influencer | Proofreader and Editor at Naija News.
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