The Lagos State Government on Wednesday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, alleging that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kaduna State counterpart, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, were in Edo State for the election.
In a statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, the government described the allegations by the PDP candidate as reckless and disgraceful.
Ayorinde while clarifying the position of the Government said Governor Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and in any case had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.
“The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress and his duty ended 24 hours before the election because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.
Ayorinde said Ambode had clearly enumerated his position on the election during the Grand Finale of the campaign when he said that like Lagos where continuity has moved perfectly well, Edo State also deserves continuity in governance.
“That message has been passed and has been accepted by majority of Edo indigenes and therefore there would not be any need for the Governor to return to Edo on Election Day. The general public and security operatives are hereby advised to ignore the desperate lies of Pastor Ize-Iyamu,” Ayorinde said.
Meanwhile, results trickling in from the election have it that Ize-Iyamu defeated Godwin Obaseki, his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, at the polling unit of the APC national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.
At the unit, PDP had 78 votes while APC had 69 votes at Unit 1 Ward 002 of Oredo Local Government.
Also, a combined security team set up to monitor the election has arrested six persons for disobeying restriction of movement order.
Mr Amadin Osayande, Edo Comptroller of Prisons and member of the team, said in Benin that the suspects were arrested at Welfare junction, Upper Sakponba road, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, on Wednesday.
Osayande said that four men and two women were arrested inside a commercial bus during the election.
He also said that the suspects said they were aware of the restriction of movement order, yet they went about their normal businesses.
Osayande added that there was restriction of movement and yet they were driving around the city.
“Actually, we all know that there is always restriction of movement during election, yet the suspects were parading the city.
“Apart from the restriction order, the suspects looked suspicious and needed to be investigated,” he said.
Other members of the combined security team are; the state Commissioner of Police, Commander, 4 brigade of the Nigerian Army, state Comptroller of Prisons, representatives of the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
