Electoral Violence; 2 Killed in Delta - CDD

Agbor, Delta - Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have been declared winner of the April 11 governorship election in Delta state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but the violence that characterized the polls has left some families in pains, as they lost loved ones during the process.

This is in spite of a peace accord signed in February by the candidates contesting for different elective positions on the platform of different political parties in the State, to honour the interest of democracy.

The Center for Democracy and Development [CDD] which deployed observers and reporters in 21 states including Delta, stated that, though accreditation went on smoothly without incident in most polling units cross the country, significant incidences of shootings, protests, arson and fatalities were recorded in most geopolitical zones.

According to CDD, In Eku community, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, at least two persons were killed after violence erupted, while in Agbor community in Ika South Local Government Area of the state, gunmen stormed a home on the night of the election day and shot dead a young man.

One family who spoke with our reporter barely two months after the gubernatorial contest, lamented the electoral violence as they lost their son to "political assassins", and another still nowhere to be found since April when the election was held.

"Two of my brothers, Obele Chukwuka and Lucky Chukwuka are youths in the same People's Democratic Party (PDP) with governor Ifeanyi Okowa. They were attacked in March by the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) while holding strategic meeting in our family compound to mobilize votes for Okowa.

"In April 11 2015, on the day of election, we learnt that their political opponents again attacked them alongside others that were organized to support electoral officials to pick up ballot boxes across the local government, and this time, 2 persons were shot dead and from that moment Lucky Chukwuka lost his memory because of the injury he suffered', one family member who do not want her name mentioned told our reporter.

She further narrated that, in the night of same election day after Lucky Chukwuka was at an undisclosed hospital recuperating from his injury, gunmen stormed the house they were living and went straight to their apartment where they met Obele Chukwuka and shot him on the stomach.

"Before he was rushed to the hospital he was dead. He couldn't survive the bullet wounds.", the soft spoken lady said with tears in her eyes.

When asked about Lucky Chukwuka who will be 23 in September, she maintained that they could tell his whereabout as the last time they heard from him was "towards the end of April when they learnt he traveled to kano state for safety reasons.

She said unknown persons do come to their family house at night to threaten that they will kill Lucky Chukwuka anywhere they find him, adding that they have reported the matter to the police but nothing has been done about it.

"Can we now say the police are working with the opposition APC politicians that are in power at the federal level?, because they have not arrested anyone let alone protect us", She said.

Efforts to get the Delta State Police Command to speak on the matter was unsuccessful as at the time of filling this report.

Meanwhile, the command arrested no fewer than 50 persons over their involvement in various electoral malpractice during the election.

The command's spokesperson, DSP Celestina Kalu who disclosed this to journalists, said among those apprehended were ballot box snatchers and those who carried out acts capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election.