BENIN CITY – It can be said for certain that democracy as is presently being practised today in Nigeria is far from the enviable principles and ideas as observed in advanced countries and democracies.
This postulation is maintained by several witnesses who were present at a governorship campaign rally for the forthcoming September 28, 2016 Edo State gubernatorial election where two persons were reportedly killed and several others seriously injured.
According to reports, during one of the campaign rallies, there was a clash between the PDP youth wing who were on a campaign tour on the one part, and APC political party at a different at a different campaign rally on the other hand which led to violence assaults, attacks on opposing parties which led to two persons dead on the sport and several others severely injured.
The source said that one Mr. Eric Aigbaekaen, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Leader and several other youths were fingered to be at the centre of the fight, trying to protect his party members, before the fight escalated to the point where two persons were confirmed dead.
Our sources who pleaded anonymity for fear of be attacked further revealed that the said Eric Aigbekaen is a renowned youth mobilizer for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, hence the All Progressives Congress (APC) members are targeting him for elimination and reprisal attack following the death of two of APC members.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command has declared the said Mr. Eric Aigbekaen and several others wanted following the death of two persons during the political clash between the APC and the PDP in the state.
A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, DSP Nkombe, “Eric Aigbekaen and his cohorts are wanted to explain their level of involvement in the violent clash and the killings of two persons in the state.”
He said that political campaigns and election will not be allowed to be turned into battle fields by politicians and their followers.
However, in spite of the awareness campaigns against political violence in the country, electoral violence and killings in Nigeria has continued to be marred by various challenges ranging threat to lives, insecurity destruction to lives and property in the Nigeria.
This could be as a result some youths see election period as opportunity to make quick money, hence many people are prepared to do anything to attain political power including assassination of political opponents.
As at the time of filing in this report, nobody seems to know the whereabouts of Mr. Eric Aigbekaen.
He is said to have gone into hiding for his safety.
