Edo Elections: Oba of Benin wants protection for NYSC members

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II has called on the relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of thousands of National Youth Service Corps who will be deployed during the upcoming Edo governorship election scheduled for September 19.

The monarch made this call as he hosted the Director General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim who paid him a courtesy call at his Palace on Thursday.

The royal father said, “There is a need for the corps members to be protected because of the desperate attitude of some politicians. The aspiration of politicians is not worth the blood of any corps member, they must be protected from any attack.”

The NYSC boss said corps members were not partisan and they would discharge their patriotic duties to their fatherland, The Punch reports.

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki has said he will accept defeat if he loses in a fair election.

Obaseki, who spoke with reporters on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 after visiting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said as a democrat he would accept the outcome of a free contest, adding: “but by every indication today, I’m sure of a convincing victory.”

He, however, expressed worry about the security of voters in Edo State.

He said he visited the IGP because he was bothered about security.