A yet-to-be-identified supporter of the Labour Party in Lagos State has had his hand amputated after the attack that rocked the grand finale of the presidential campaign rally of the party in the state last week.
The Director General of Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun, made this known on Tuesday during a live appearance on Channels Television’s The 2023 Verdict.
Osuntokun said he did not have the assurance that everything is set for the presidential election slated for Saturday, saying that voter suppression through violence remained a worrying factor.
He also said the over-voting recorded in the Osun State elections which the tribunal used as a prerequisite to nullify the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, despite the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, was another worrying factor.
Recall that The PUNCH reported that the Lagos police confirmed that no fewer than four persons were injured in an attack on supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Describing the attack on Obi’s supporters as “regrettable” the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the attack happened at about 15km away from the rally venue, adding that the State Criminal Investigations Department would take over investigations towards apprehending and prosecuting the attackers.
The attack happened at Ilasan area of Eti-Osa Local Government and the Jakande Ward Chairman of the Labour Party raised the alarm.
However, the LP DG has said that he would not score the preparation of the election 100 per cent because of such factors.
Osuntokun said, “I won’t score the preparation a 100 per cent, there are some factors that challenge that conclusion. The predisposition to voter suppression through violence, we have been a victim of that especially in Lagos.
“INEC people actually responded to people looking for their PVCs discriminatorily and when we had the rally in Lagos, our supporters were prevented in certain areas from coming to the Tafawa Balewa Square and some of them were injured. As we speak one of them has had his hand amputated.
“So when you take these into consideration, you cannot be confident that this is going to work well.
“And as I remarked once the fact that the BVAS or the electronic transmission introduction to the system is supposed to preclude the possibility of over-voting, but according to the judgement of the tribunal on the Osun State election that was conducted a while ago, the tribunal nullified the victory of the PDP on account of over-voting, now were does that come in?” Osuntokun questioned.
