Jarret Tenebe, the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led a group of hoodlums to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin City to disrupt an inspection process initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 10, 2024.
PDP officials arrived at the INEC office for a scheduled inspection related to the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election.
Eyewitnesses reported that Tenebe, accompanied by a group of individuals believed to be hired thugs, stormed the office, demanding that the inspection be halted immediately.
According to reports from the scene, Tenebe and his group clashed with PDP members and INEC officials, resulting in chaos as the situation escalated.
The APC chairman reportedly declared, “This inspection cannot take place! We will not sit by and allow the PDP to manipulate the process!”
PDP officials expressed their outrage over the incident, calling it a direct attack on democracy in Edo State.
A PDP official at the scene told journalists: “We are appalled by this blatant disregard for the electoral process. This kind of behaviour is reminiscent of the dark days of political thuggery, and it has no place in our democratic system.
“We will not be intimidated. We are determined to ensure that our rights to fair play and transparency are upheld.”
The PDP had been preparing for the inspection as part of its efforts to probe the gubernatorial elections held on September 21, 2024, at the election petition tribunal.
The party has accused the APC of engaging in tactics aimed at suppressing its activities and undermining its electoral chances.
In the wake of the incident, INEC has dismissed the allegations by Tenebe, saying they are baseless.