Auchi, Edo State – The Students’ Union Government election at Auchi Polytechnic descended into violence on Saturday, leaving several students injured. An anonymous student reported that the election was progressing smoothly until local youths, backing a candidate known as “Voice” from Akpekpe in Auchi, disrupted the process.
The student explained that Voice, relying on local influence, was trailing the popular candidate, Verify, who had strong student support. As Voice’s loss became evident, his agents allegedly raised an alarm, leading local boys to storm the venue. They reportedly seized ballot boxes, fired gunshots into the air, and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Some youths were also seen brandishing knives to intimidate students.
A viral video circulating on Sunday captured students fleeing over the school’s fence amid gunshots and smoke, likely from tear gas. The student expressed concern, stating, “This is a bad development for our school, and I hope it will not snowball into something more brutal.”
The school’s management declared the election inconclusive due to the disruption. Efforts to obtain further comment from the administration were unsuccessful, as the institution has yet to appoint a new Public Relations Officer following the previous official’s passing. The Edo State Police Command spokesperson, contacted on Sunday, said he had no official report and was awaiting details from the local Divisional Police Officer.
Fears linger that the incident could escalate if not addressed, casting a shadow over the polytechnic’s electoral process.
