Edo election tribunal sitting disrupted by gunshots

There was unrest at the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City on Wednesday, January 15, reportedly sparked by the sound of gunshots. Videos circulating on social media showed a man dressed in a white shirt, brown shorts, white face cap, and a black nose mask firing a locally made gun into the air while shouting, You must give us our mandate.  The incident caused widespread panic, leading lawyers, tribunal members, and attendees to flee for safety. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have since traded accusations over the shooting. Edo APC Chairman Jarrett Tenebe condemned the violence, describing it as a deeply disturbing act that undermined the sanctity of the judicial process. He accused PDP supporters of carrying out the attack, alleging that thugs dressed in PDP-branded attire disrupted the tribunal proceedings. Todays 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, Tenebe said. 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. The PDP, however, denied involvement, with its state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, accusing the APC of orchestrating the disruption to frustrate the legal process and tarnish the PDPs image. Aziegbemi alleged that the APC was using political thugs to disrupt the tribunal as part of a devious ploy to manipulate the outcome of the governorship election.  The post Edo election tribunal sitting disrupted by gunshots appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.