All is set for the Local Government Council election in the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo state today, as the Edo state police command deploy over five thousand policemen across the 18 Local Government Council of the state.
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The Edo government yesterday announced restriction of movements from 6:00am to 5:00pm during which the elections will hold today.
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It said in a statement that "Only security personnel, electoral officers, accredited election observers, accredited press men and others on essential duty are exempted from this restriction order.
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Meanwhile, thse embattled chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikpoba-Okhai Local government Council of the state, Chief Edegbe Ugbogbo was yesterday quized by the police over allegation of threat to life against Mr Amos Omoregie, who is laying claim to the PDP ticket in the area.
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It would be recalled that the High Court in Benin had earlier granted an injunction restricting Chief Ugbogbo from parading himself as chairmanship candidate of the PDP in the area. Mr Omoregie emerged as the authentic candidate of the PDP in the area at the congress conducted on the 9th of February, but was surprisingly replaced by Chief Ugbogbo.
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The implication is that the PDP may have no chairmanship candidate in Ikpoba Okhai Council in today's election. Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr Folunso Adebanjo has vowed that his men will not tolerate any form of thuggery in today's election and warned candidates to admonish their supporters against any form of violence.
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According to him, "What happened in Fugar last week will not be allowed to happen again. We will not allow thugs to destroy the election and that is why we are warning our political leaders to warn their supporters to shun violence. The police will continue to maintain its neutrality and we appeal that people should play according to the rules because anyone caught making trouble will regret ever being in this state".
Let's just hope everything goes according to plan. We pray for something free and fair. That really has to happen