Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A group, Network of Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (NOCSON), has expressed sadness over the inability of the Nigeria Police to have arrested those who carried out the violent attack at the Benin airport that led to the death of an Inspector of police, Onu Akor, 26 days after the incident.
President of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi expressed his resentment while speaking on what he titled “Critical issues concerning the Nigeria Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State” in Benin.
He said the state will be sitting on a keg of gun powder if those who took part in the dastardly act are not arrested and brought to book especially now that the state is about participating in an election.
Comrade Ogbidi said while the group is not interested in the political parties the perpetrators of the violent act might be, but the Inspector General of Police, Koyode Egbetokun and other security agencies must step up their games and build up the confidence of the people by arresting the culprits.
“This delay, by the Nigeria Police to taking very crucial decision have cast a shadow of doubt on the capacity and professionalism of the Edo State command to handle issues in the coming days as we approach the gubernatorial election.
“Edo people will have no oita of confidence if the needed action is not taken immediately”, Ogbidi said.
Speaking on the forthcoming governorship election and the INEC preparedness, Ogbidi appealed to the body to ensure free, fair and credible election in the state.
According to him “We want to use this opportunity to charge the INEC to conduct an election that is free, fair and credible such that no party will be willing to contest its result in court as the process will be visibly transparent in line with global best practices and the Nigeria Electoral Act as amended.
“The election must be a deviation and of great improvement on the 2023 general elections where BIVAS was alleged to be highly manipulated and electronic transmission of result was jettisoned at the eleventh hour owing to a purported technical glitch after spending billions of tax payers money on the process”
Ogbidi, while commending INEC on their professionalism during the last voters registration exercise in the state, urged the Commission to ensure that all PVCs and documents necessary for Edo voters to vote are available and worked upon so that no body will be disenfranchised owing to their inadequacies.