Oshiomhole defends deployment of military for polls

IRKED by the violence in his ward during last Saturday House of Assembly election, the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomole has described those kicking against the deployment of soldiers for the conduct of elections as enemies of democracy and Nigeria.

Armed thugs had invaded the polling centres at the small town of Ogbido and Uluokhe, Etsako West local government area of Edo State, shooting sporadically into the air. The two communities are stone throw from Oshiomhole’s hometown of Iyamho.

Several potential voters were injured in the mayhem as they scampered away during the invasion by the masked hoodlums who came in from the bush, shooting.

During the mayhem, electoral materials, shoes, handbags and other sensitive materials were set ablaze by the hoodlums while mobile phones of the electoral officers and voters were stolen.

Oshiomhole who spoke with journalists shortly after casting his votes at his hometown of Iyamho, Etsako West local government of Edo state noted that should anything go wrong in the election, it is going to be on the side of security.

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He said: “We have one or two incident where thugs allegedly hired by the PDP came to disrupt the election by shooting sporadically trying to cart away election materials, but the people were determined and with the military patrolling the area, the situation was brought to normal.”

The APC national chairman pointed accusing fingers at members of the opposition party who were afraid of losing the election that recruited thugs to disrupt the electoral process which was largely peaceful in the State.

Oshiomhole explained that during the Presidential and National Assembly election of February 23, the APC and PDP scored 99.99% of the vote at Ogbido and Ulouke are, lamenting that the action of the hoodlums last Saturday election will affect the results.

He, however, commended the military for being right on time to curtail the situation and ensured that voting continued after the order was restored.

“This is why when some arm-chair analysts dispute the idea of deploying military during the election, we said only enemy of democracy, enemy of Nigeria, peace and merchants of violence will support such campaign against military deployment.

Oshiomhole added: “Imagine when you deployed unarmed one or two police officers to a polling unit, what can they do to gun-wielding thugs, they will watch helplessly when thugs do what they should not do.”

He noted that those sponsoring thugs are of the opinion that if they don’t win, the country should go to hell, insisting however that with President Muhammadu Buhari at the helms of the affair, the country will not go to blazes.

He emphasised: “If there is no security to protect the electorate, they can’t go out to vote. Election is the only process in which Nigerians are equal as the President and common man are entitled to one man, one vote.”