The Edo State government has denounced the All Progressive Congress (APC) for allegedly disrupting the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the state. The government accused the APC of stirring violence and causing crisis in a bid to halt the registration process.
According to a statement by the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, the APC’s actions are “troubling, disheartening, and shameful.” The government condemned the shooting at Idia College, which injured an innocent student, and questioned why an opposition party would resort to violence to promote its candidate.
The government urged security agencies to rein in the agents of violence and warned the APC to desist from such conduct, embracing democratic norms instead. It encouraged the people of Edo State to leverage the CVR opportunity to register for their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the September 21 gubernatorial election, ensuring a free, fair, and violence-free electoral process.
In response, a source close to the APC stated that the party would issue a statement when necessary, as the police and Department of State Service are currently investigating the matter.
The CVR exercise has been relocated to INEC’s secretariat at Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, following damage to its state headquarters due to a downpour. The APC had earlier called for the cancellation of the exercise, alleging a conspiracy between INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party to manipulate the CVR in favour of the PDP.
However, INEC and the Edo State government have rebuffed these allegations, ensuring the registration process continues uninterrupted.