Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has explained his reason for visiting the Independent National Electoral Commission collation centre in Benin City, the state capital, in the early of today.
The governor, it would be recalled, was on the INEC premises early on Sunday morning, around 2 am, and was there until he was escorted outside by the police led by Deputy Inspector General Frank Mba.
Members of the All Progressives Congress, led by Monday Okpebholo’s running mate, Dennis Idahosa, led protesters to demand the exit of Obaseki from the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission at about 3.30 am on Sunday.
Minutes before Obaseki was led outside by Mba flanked by a contingent of policemen, All Progressives Congress National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, addressed journalists that the governor had no reason to be on the premises.
Addressing journalists on Sunday at the Peoples Democratic Party Situation Room in Benin, Obaseki said he was at the INEC office to meet the Resident Electoral Commission after getting reports that the commission had stopped collation.
He said, “At about 1 am, I got a report that collation was supposed to have been moved to the INEC head office. I also got reports from our agents that PDP agents were not allowed into the collation centre. At that point in time, I called the REC to find an explanation of what was going on. There was no response, and I then went to the INEC office to meet with the REC and to understand what steps INEC was taken to continue the process of collation.”
