By Chief Ohimai
The much anticipated 2024 Edo Governorship election has been concluded with pockets of flash points and talking points, especially the complaints by different political parties that participated in the exercise.
While the election has been adjudged generally peaceful, there were however areas that witnessed violence which led to cancellation of some polling units.
In other cases, election materials were allegedly stolen by David Okoh Aigbodion, aka Arizona, the chairman in Owan West Local Area and taken to a private residence.
In a video sighted , a middle age man (name withheld) was seen holding a ballot box containing ballot papers, ink stamp, BVAS machine and other items that he claimed were hijacked from Ward 3, unit 9 by Aigbodion aka Arizona and some cultists that accompanied him, and subsequently dumped the bag in his house. The man pleaded profusely to the PDP chairman to take back the stolen items.
In the fallout of the election, particularly in Owan West Local Government Area, some stakeholders and groups have praised the contributions of Chief Lucky Ohimai for his tenacity and hard work which they claimed subdued the People’s Democratic Party which led to APC victory in Owan West.
First, the leadership of the APC in area led by a former deputy governor of the state, Reverend Peter Obadan, praised Chief Ohimai during a thank you visit to him.
Reverend Obadan, explained that Ohimai’s massive contributions to the governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo led to the victory at the poll, which he says has finally sacked the PDP in Owan West.
Reverend Obadan maintained that it was the intervention of Chief Ohimai that gave victory to the APC in the face of harassement and intimidation by Mr. Blessing Agbebaku, speaker of Edo State House of Assembly.
Reverend Obadan expressed confidence in handing over political leadership to Chief Ohimai, popularly called ‘Tarex’.
“If any elder does not want the growth, the success of the younger ones and does not want to hand over to the younger generation, then he is a fool. Success without a successor is a failure. If you have no successor, you have failed in life.
“Many people forget their home, but you said you would not. And we thank God for your life,” Obadan added.
Owan West APC Chairman, Frank David also praised Chief Ohimai for providing leadership at the time they needed one.
It is however left to be seen if INEC and the law enforcement agencies will prosecute those that have been indicted for electoral violence and fraud, especially in Owan West.
