Voters Registration: Edo monarch alleges plot to disenfranchise Benin

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Ahead of the commencement of voter’s registration exercise and distribution of voters’ permanent cards in Edo state later this month, Benin Leaders of Thought (BLT), made up of Benin traditional rulers and politicians, yesterday raised alarm over alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to manipulate the exercise by ensuring that majority of Benin eligible voters are unable to obtain the permanent voter’s card.

The Enogie of Obazuwa and younger brother to the Oba of Benin, Prince Edun Akenzua, who led the group, alleged that the desperation by the PDP to take over the leadership of the state was targeted at the Benins and not Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

He said, “One way they plan to do this is to ensure that most Benin voters are unable to obtain the permanent voters cards. On election day, anyone who does not have the permanent voters card will not be allowed to vote. We are told that was how it happened in Ekiti where, they said, more than 200,000 voters were disenfranchised. While their wards perform these theatrics here in Benin, the Master-fixers are busy in Abuja, planning the strategy with which their party will up-stage Edo South voters.”

Benin Leaders of Thought traced the none presence of a Benin man in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, allegedly to the activities of some leaders of the PDP in the state whom the group described as “anti-Benins.”

They further alleged that “PDP leadership is desperate to ‘capture’ Edo State and install a governor from Edo Central,” adding that, “they would have done it through the declaration of a state of emergency, but found out that imposing a state of emergency on a state whose government is doing well and who has a governor loved by the state’s traditional institutions, market women and the people would lead to what no one could conjecture.

“The imbroglio is directed against the Benins. It is a well laid plot to make Benin irrelevant in the scheme of things. It is not by accident that there is no Benin person in President Jonathan’s cabinet. Powerful enemies of Benin made sure of that. Yet, Benins are in the majority in population in the state.

The group traced the disadvantage of the Benin people in the PDP to alleged trap set by the leadership of the party which encouraged the Benins in the party to fight against themselves.

“When PDP was establishing its structure in Edo State, Benin leaders in the party fell into the trap set by enemies of Benin. The trap was to split the rank of the Benins. Six Benin persons were encouraged to vie for the position of the party’s chairman. The aspirants campaigned viciously against each other thus fragmenting the Benin bloc vote.

“Those who did not want a Benin person in that position, ensured that only one aspirant came from Edo North. It was no surprise that Benins lost out. The divide-them syndrome continues,” Edun Akenzua stated.

In his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of the State chapter of PDP, Matthew Uroghide said because of the party’s reverence for traditional rulers, he would not comment, but however said “PDP as a political party would not reduce the voting strenght of Edo South” whose population was an advantage to the party.