Seven days to the Edo governorship election, and as political parties countdown to D-Day on Saturday, 21 September – with three major political contenders scheduling the grand finale of their rallies for today. –
While PDP has slated its final rally today at the Garrick Memorial ground, located along Ekekhuan Road and intensified other forms of campaigns, the APC rally is to take place at the University of Benin playground, Ugbowo campus today.
According to information from one of the leading political parties, the Labour Party (LP), the three senatorial districts of Benin, Ekpoma and Auchi would serve as venues for its grand finale.
However, in a blighting situation, a convoy of the candidate of APC, Monday Okpebholo crushed one Emmanuel Edionwe and four of his friends to death on Warrake Road around Uzebba axis in Owan West LGA in Edo State.
The tragic accident which occurred on Thursday, 12 September was said to have left the families of the deceased traumatised and devastated with many of them shattered by the fact that the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when they met their untimely death.
The bodies of four of the deceased victims were said to have been deposited at the Edo State University, Uzaurie Mortuary in Etsako West Local Government Area.
It was gathered that Okpebholo’s convoy rammed into the victims’ silver Camry sedan car when they were attempting to negotiate a sharp bend on the road, with many eyewitnesses stating that the accident occurred as a result of rough driving.
A relative of Emmanuel Edionwe, one of the deceased, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easygoing boy who should not be dead today.
“He and his friends were driving in the Silver Camry car. After the accident, we just learnt that five of them have died after the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy. Emmanuel and four of his friends are dead. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital.”
Noting that Edionwe died at the Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISH), where he was later transferred to for specialist care, he said: “It was officials of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) that evacuated the bodies from the scene of the accident. Four of them died yesterday. One died this morning. There is only one surviving person in critical condition.”
The source noted that Okpebholo sneaked to check on the victims in the hospital they had been rushed to in Auchi after the accident but that it was disheartening that the APC campaign council has refused to acknowledge the incident or even commiserate with the affected families.
“We feel really bad that the APC has not said anything about the accident. It is insensitive. No one who suffers such a loss should be left without closure,” he said, crying profusely.
Efforts to reach the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), was not successful, but a journalist who was part of the APC convoy confirmed the story.
According to him, the victims are not part of the campaign train but persons travelling on their own.
