Panic as gunshots disrupt Edo election tribunal sitting

There was palpable unrest at the Edo state governorship election tribunal in Benin City on Wednesday, reportedly triggered by the sounds of gunshots.

In a series of videos on social media, a man dressed in a white shirt, brown shorts, and white face cap, with a black nose mark, was seen shooting a locally made gun into the air while shouting, “you must give us our mandate”.

The shooting caused panic, with lawyers, tribunal members, and attendees reportedly fleeing for safety.

APC AND PDP TRADE BLAMES

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have since traded accusations over the shooting incident.

Jarrett Tenebe, APC chairman in Edo state, condemned the violence, describing it as a deeply disturbing and unacceptable act that undermined the sanctity of the judicial process.

Tenebe accused supporters of the PDP of carrying out the attack, claiming that thugs disguised in PDP-branded attire disrupted proceedings at the tribunal.

“Today’s shooting incident within the venue of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City involving members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a deeply disturbing and unacceptable act of violence,” the statement reads.

“The Tribunal is a sacred space where justice is meant to be administered impartially. Any act of violence within its walls undermines the very foundation of our legal system and threatens the safety of all involved.

“Regardless of political affiliation, resorting to violence to resolve disputes is never justifiable. We must all condemn such actions in the strongest possible terms.

“Violence has no place in a civilized society, and those responsible for this heinous act must be brought to justice swiftly and without exception.”

Meanwhile, the PDP has disassociated itself from the incident, with its state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, accusing the APC of orchestrating the disruption to “frustrate the legal process and tarnish the image of the PDP”.

Aziegbemi alleged that the APC was using political thugs to disrupt the tribunal, claiming that the act was part of their “devious ploy to manipulate the outcome of the governorship election”.

POLICE REACTS

When contacted by TheCable, Moses Yamu, the state police spokesperson, initially claimed he was unaware of the incident, but later stated that the location in the video was not at the tribunal.

Yamu noted that the command would investigate the video to verify its authenticity and location.

“The video in question does not depict an incident occurring anywhere near the Tribunal,” Yamu said.

”To confirm, I suggest obtaining a snapshot or video of the tribunal area and its surroundings, which will clearly show that there are no construction activities underway.

“The video appears to be filmed at a construction site, which is not located near the tribunal. We will investigate the video to determine its authenticity, location, and timeframe. I assure you that the incident did not occur at the tribunal or anywhere nearby.”

The Edo state governorship election was won by Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the APC, who was inaugurated on November 12, 2024.

However, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, who was Okpebholo’s closest rival, is challenging the outcome of the polls.