Security deployed in Edo as APC faction pushes to hold primaries despite government’s gazetted COVID-19 order

Information reaching us says there is heavy deployment of security officers and men in Edo State following intelligence about an imminent violence envisaged as All Progressives Congress (APC) faction loyal to suspended national chairman Adams Oshiomhole is bent on holding its primaries despite government order disallowing the mode it chose.

This is also as the government of the state Sunday vowed to enforce the law and thus warned the APC or any other party against breaking the law.

Ahead of the governorship primary of the party, the APC dismissed the order gazetted by the state government that political parties must obtain approval of the governor to hold any political gathering.

The Edo State Police Command on Saturday said the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on the request of the state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, approved the deployment of policemen in the state for the conduct of the primaries.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, reportedly said in a media interview that the state had received two detachments of Police Mobile Force from Delta and Bayelsa states, noting that some were already in Benin City while others are expected.

It will be recalled Edo State government had vowed that it was not a joke that he put a law in gazette to guard against unapproved public gathering in the srate. It then warned that APC should eschew its threat in the Interest of peace.

Considering the position of government, while it was not clear what purpose the security deployment was to serve, it was gathered that it most likely pointed to being in ground to avert anticipated crisis the faceoff between the APC faction and Edo State government may cause.

The media source said of the statement by the state police spokesman: “The Edo State Police Command is ready to ensure that there are peaceful primaries and in doing that adequate security arrangements have been made by the Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo. He is not doing it alone, he is working with the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state.

“Critical stakeholders have been reached. We have 192 wards in Edo State and the tactical teams from command levels will move to these wards according to their posting.”

APC Acting National Chairman Victor Giadom had written to INEC and security agencies not to recognise, support or monitor any Edo related primaries not authorized by him.