The Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has accused the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, of bribing the Nigerian Army with 14 Toyota Hilux pick-up vans.
Oshiomhole, who spoke on Friday, wondered why such donation was not made to the Nigeria Police.
He said the donation was meant to intimidate voters in Edo State, adding: “But nobody can intimidate us with deployment of soldiers, which is contrary to court judgements.”
Oshiomhole, who spoke at a press conference at the Government House, Benin, said: “The Hilux vehicles were deployed to the premises of RCC Construction Company in Benin and were transferred from the premises of the company to the headquarters of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Benin.
“The Brigade Commander must not do the sort of thing that Brgadier Omoh did in Osun State.
“Such a ploy is aimed at intimidating the electorate but nobody can intimidate us in Edo State.
“That they preferred to donate to the Army rather than the police raises more questions than the answers that have been provided.
“And our investigation is that these Hilux vehicles provided by Onolememen and or according to the Brigade commander by RCC, an Israeli company, is going to be used to carry soldiers who will not be wearing uniform to disguise.
“This is not war.
“It is to celebrate freedom, the right of the people to choose, the right to vote, the right to defend the votes.
“I urge our people to continue with the peaceful atmosphere that has so far characterised this exercise.
“I am happy that since 2011, elections in Edo State has been largely peaceful.
“The one of tomorrow (Saturday) will not be an exemption.
“All the candidates that are vying for various positions to the office of the president, the office of senators, House of Reps, they are not as important as Nigerians.
“Nigeria is more important than any of the presidential candidates.
“At this stage, we must encourage Edo people to go out peacefully in their various locations where they are registered to vote, equipped only with their permanent voter cards for the purpose of voting peacefully, staying behind to ensure that the votes are counted and results announced and recorded and return home peacefully.
“Election and voting is not war.
“The polling booth is not a war zone.
“Party agents are not there to fight each other.
“They should be friends.
“Brothers and sisters who share a common passion for democracy and that the votes that are going to be cast by the people are properly cast and properly recorded and the winner announced.
“Yes, we have intelligence and it has been confirmed that the Honourable Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, deployed 14 vehicles to the premises of RCC Construction Company in Benin.
“These Hilux vehicles, about 14 of them, were transferred from RCC premises yesterday (Thursday) to the headquarters of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
“I have expressed my concern to the Commander of the 4 Brigade that I didn’t think it was appropriate for the 4 Brigade to collect vehicles from Ministry of Works for the purpose of this election.
“The Commander of the 4 Brigade told me that the vehicles were donated by RCC because he approached RCC for support.
“I told him even that is wrong.
“The Brigade Commander cannot approach Israelis to provide them with security when Edo State Government is here.
“He has not made such a request to me and I reminded him that the Israeli people cannot be assumed to have special interest in the peace and security of Nigeria than the government of Edo State.
“After all, we set up Operation Thunderstorm, which encouraged the military to complement the efforts of the police.
“I denounce the idea.
“Information is that these vehicles were delivered by the Minister of Works but the Brigade Commander says they were provided by the RCC.
“But whether RCC or Minister of Works, this is clearly irregular.
“I expect that the Ministry of Works, if they have donation to make, they should have made it transparently to the Nigeria Police, not the Nigerian Army because the conduct of this election is primarily the responsibility of the Nigeria Police and not the Nigerian Army.
“Our investigation is that these Hilux vehicles are going to be used to carry soldiers who will not be wearing uniform to disguise and our information is that these people, they intend to use them to intimidate the electorate.
“But I have warned the Brigade Commander not to do the sort of thing that Brigadier Omoh did in Osun State.
“The Nigerian Army has no business portraying itself as enemy of democracy.
“The army must not be seen as part of Nigeria’s problems.
“The world is watching.
“I have told them that if anybody is killed or anyone in uniform, in the course of trying to do what is unlawful, kills anybody, it is not my statement, the International Criminal Court agents are in Nigeria.
“If anybody can escape justice in Nigeria, you cannot escape justice from the International Criminal Court.”