Market women in Edo have revealed that officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been threatening them to vote for the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, ahead of the guber poll in the state.
Residents of the state will head to their polling units on Saturday, September 21 to vote for a new governor.
Okpebholo is contesting for the governorship seat alongside Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party.
The market women who staged a protest in Benin City, recently, said the APC is orchestrating a scheme to impose an ‘Iyaloja’ in the state after their threats were rebuffed.
One of the women, Mrs Esther Ogie, who spoke during the protest told journalists: ”A prominent APC chieftain and his colleagues have been manipulating the market women’s leadership to secure their votes.
”They want to foist a new leader on us and we have it on good authority that she has received substantial payments to ensure that market women cast their ballots in favour of the APC candidate.”
Reacting to the allegation, a political commentator in the state, Osa Amuse, said: ”This financial incentive is believed to be part of a broader strategy to use federal influence to sway the election in the party’s favour.
”The move to install this stooge leader is seen as a desperate attempt by the APC to tighten its grip on the grassroots, leveraging the influence and economic power of market women.
”The women, who play a crucial role in the local economy, are being targeted to serve as a voter base for the party’s candidate.
”This controversy highlights the increasing desperation within the APC in Edo state.
”The party’s efforts to secure votes through coercion and manipulation rather than genuine political engagement and policy proposals are raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
”The imposition of a market leader aligned with the APC is not only an affront to the autonomy of the market women’s association but also a blatant misuse of power to achieve political ends.
”This unrest among market women could have significant implications for the APC’s campaign, as it risks alienating a critical segment of the electorate.
”The use of federal might to influence local elections is a troubling trend that undermines democratic principles and the right of citizens to freely choose their leaders.
”The desperation of the APC in Edo state, as evidenced by these tactics, shows that there is a need for vigilance and integrity in the electoral process to ensure that the true will of the people is respected.”
In a related development, authorities in Edo have indicted Tony Adun, widely known as Tony Kabaka, an APC youth leader, along with nine other individuals, for their involvement in the recent violence that led to the tragic killing of a police inspector in Benin City, Edo State.
The indictment follows a thorough investigation and a public outcry for justice, amplified by social media influencers who released names and photos of the alleged perpetrators.
