Police, Political Parties, Make Presence Felt On Benin Streets, Ahead Gubernatorial Poll

    Patrol team driving through Sapele Road

By Bernadette Idalu

Benin City was doubly bubbly today, September 18, 2024, as Police personnels and politicians ingeniously thumbed through streets to register their presence.

The flurry of activities was palpable with campaign trails of some of the seventeen contending political parties in lieu of the September 21, gubernatorial poll turned up enmasse, snaking their way through back end roads, through major streets and in market spaces, singing, dancing and chanting political slogans to make their presence felt at this make or mar last minute campaigns, just as the advance team of 35,000 Police personnel deployed to Edo State for security issues drove round streets to assert their presence.

At the New Benin Market, contending political parties and their entourage were seen as they crisscrossed same paths, each party singing and dancing to loud music. In one rare case, instead of dancing, some youths had the onerous task of shouting directives as all hands were on deck, in blistering heat, pushing a branded bus through the traffic intersection into the Upper Mission Extension axis of the road.

Many people were seen shopping at the New Benin market even as a Nigerian Police Officer on duty at the New Lagos Road axis of the road, against preconceived opinion, politely engaged and enlightened traders on the dangers of street trading and encroaching on main roads which elicited prompt compliance and voluntary stepping back into designated lines by affected traders. 

Traders were also at hand doing brisk sales at Santana Market on Sapele Road, even as a lot of cars were seen plying Benin roads despite the prevailing cost of fuel.

Political activities were rife at the Oba Ovonramwen Kings Square (Ring Road); the perimeter fence was layered with banners which reflected a political party and people were seen moving in or standing by the fence and peering in to glimpse at campaign activities taking place within the museum ground. Political presence was felt at Ikpokpan road, Etete and even Limit Road where convoys of branded party buses and other vehicles were seen as they drove through.

At the Police Mess on Ikpokpan Road, a retinue of police personnel were sighted either sitting or hanging around patrol vehicles, alert and on standby, awaiting directives. Police patrols were also seen driving through Sapele, Etete, Adesua and Limit Roads.

As a keen sense of safety consciousness cascades over individuals on the need to keep safe and out of harms way, a respondent  who appreciated government for the prompt payment of salary said stated it afforded the opportunity to shop ahead for basic household needs prior the election.