The Edo State Government on Friday raised concerns about political thugs attempting to overrun Independent National Electoral Commission offices in some local government councils across the state.
The government also commended the military for stopping the suspected political thugs who had made concerted efforts to overrun the INEC office in Oredo Local Government Area, in the state capital.
Addressing journalists in Benin, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said the government is drawing the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the actions of political thugs trying to seize control of INEC offices in local government councils across the state.
He said, “Political thugs have taken over INEC offices in Oredo, Etsako West, and Esan West Local Government Councils in a bid to hijack the process.”
“The soldiers repelled the thugs, and they have since retreated across the road from the INEC facility.”
Nehikhare, who praised the military for displaying discipline and character, stated that the soldiers had successfully stopped the thugs from invading the INEC facility and called on the military to take similar actions across the other 17 LGAs.
He stressed that the people of Edo cannot be intimidated or deterred by the actions of political thugs.
Nehikhare encouraged Edo people to come out en masse to exercise their franchise, reassuring them that soldiers had regained control of the Oredo INEC Secretariat and that the military was firmly in charge, protecting the people and the INEC facility.
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