The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the venue for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election, was heavily manned by police operatives on Thursday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that access to the stadium road was restricted as officials from the Edo State Traffic Management Agency checked and halted vehicles intending to use the road to enter the stadium.
Numerous police officers were stationed along the road, with many others positioned at the entrance of the stadium, ensuring that only those with legitimate business at the venue were granted entry.
The State Police Command, through its spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, had stated on Wednesday that the crises which occurred at the APC primary election on Saturday served as an eye-opener. He added that the police would no longer treat such elections as merely party affairs. Nwabuzor noted, "You could remember that we had just a little hitch during a particular party’s election. That was an eye-opener for Edo State Police Command that we should no longer see it (party primaries) as party affairs."
Nwabuzor further noted that the Commissioner of Police had adequately deployed officers and men for the exercise and stated that the vigilante would not be part of the election process.
Ten aspirants are vying for the PDP governorship ticket. They include the state deputy governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, a former chairman of Sterling Bank, Mr Asue Ighodalo, and Mr Anslem Ojezua. Others are Mr Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Mr Felix Akhabue, Mr Martin Uhomoibhi, Hajia Hadizat Umoru, Omosede Igbinedion, Osaro Onaiwu, and Mr Arthur Esene.
The election will be conducted according to the guidelines released by the national leadership of the PDP on Wednesday. At the time of filing this report, accreditation was ongoing at Edo Hotel Marquee in Benin.