- The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Funsho Adegboye, dismissed the PDP’s allegations of bias
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the police of being partisan and siding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
Edo PDP Chairman Tony Aziegbemi, addressing journalists in Benin on Sunday, expressed the party’s unease with the police’s stance.
Aziegbemi said, “This is to express our concern about the disposition of the police ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
“The party has witnessed instances where the police acted in a manner that suggested they are a wing of the All Progressives Congress.
“The operatives’ actions and inaction at the state and national levels paint a picture that they are working for the APC.”
He highlighted an incident a few weeks ago involving the Deputy Director of Media for the PDP Election Campaign Council, Rev. Olu Martins, who was invited and arrested by the police based on a petition against him. Martins was later arraigned in court and granted bail after meeting the necessary conditions set by the trial judge.
Aziegbemi added, “However, I, the chairman of the PDP in Edo State, wrote a petition over comments by the chairman of the state’s chapter of the APC where he threatened to mobilise and lead youths to stone Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“A video evidence of this threat and an accompanying petition was submitted to the Commissioner of Police in Edo State.
“Surprisingly, no action has been taken on the matter since the petition was submitted, unlike the swift manner in which the police responded to the petition against Martins.
“The police have also deployed a tactical team of policemen to arrest and harass at least 22 members and leaders of the PDP who are currently under heavy surveillance.”
However, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Funsho Adegboye, dismissed the PDP’s allegations of bias.
“Whatever observations or comments anybody has should be directed to Abuja,” Adegboye said on Sunday.
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