Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has petitioned the Commander of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Benin, Brig.Gen. Olajide Laleye over alleged illegal deployment of soldiers in Owan Federal Constituency and other parts of Edo North senatorial district by one Lt.Colonel Abiodun Uwadia (retd), a Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan during Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
In the petition personally signed by the governor, he threatened to take the authorities of the Nigerian Army before the International Criminal Court at the Hague as a result of alleged terror the soldiers unleashed on All Progressives Congress (APC) members and journalists, who covered the elections in Edo North and Central senatorial districts.
“Reports reaching me indicated that Lt Col.Uwadia (retd) had illegally and unconstitutionally deployed not less than three trucks of soldiers to Owan Federal constituency, which was used to harass and intimidate members of the APC in the Federal constituency. As I write, the said retired Lt Col. was also issuing threats and directing the soldiers to shoot at sight any APC member that resists his directives during and after the elections.
“Evidently, the conduct of the aforementioned political office holder is not only illegal and unconstitutional, but a flagrant abuse of the military. It is not only reprehensible, it is unacceptable to abuse and misuse the army for purely partisan purposes. I wish to request you use your good offices to call Uwadia to order and stop this illegal and unconstitutional deployment of soldiers for purely partisan objectives during elections.
“Failure to stem this patently illegal action can result in consequences that are likely to go beyond the shores of Nigeria. The world is watching, “Governor Oshiomhole said.
He had while addressing journalists last Friday raised the alarm over alleged plot to use the Army to intimidate APC voters in the state.
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