The Edo State Government has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC), of plans to orchestrate civil unrest and cause mayhem in the State under the guise of protests and rallies in order to advance their obnoxious political agenda.
The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, who made the allegation while addressing journalists in Benin City, said the party is resorting to the devious plan because they have realized the folly of presenting an unlettered and incompetent candidate for the office of Governor.
“Their candidate, Monday Okpebholo, has continued to embarrass the party and his handlers in private and public fora with his poor grasp of basic concepts and intellectual immaturity, consistently displaying an inability to articulate and coherently sell his vision to the electorate and other key stakeholders,” Nehikhare said.
“Reeling from the pains of selling a bad and unmarketable candidate and having failed in their desperate resort to lies and propaganda to hoodwink Edo people ahead of the September 21 governorship election, the only path the APC in Edo State now sees to promote their campaigns is to cause chaos and crisis in the State.
“Our findings reveal that the APC plans to incite civil unrest in the State and cause chaos under the guise of riots and protests in order to disrupt the peace and stability of the State, while diverting attention from their candidate’s weaknesses and buying time to avoid debates and meaningful engagement with the people.
“The Edo State Government is aware of their evil plans, and will not sit idly and watch them unleash mayhem on the people and cause chaos in the State.
“While we call the attention of all security agencies in the State, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSS), the Brigade Commander, 4 Brigade, Benin, among others, to take notice of this planned heinous plan by the APC to orchestrate civil unrest and cause mayhem in the State, we assure members of the public to be rest assured that the government will spare no effort within the ambits of the law to forestall this planned attack on the State and its people and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice”, Nehikhare added.
He urged the APC to bring their candidate out for debates and engagements with the electorate and other stakeholders as is obtainable in all other civilized climes instead of causing strife, adding that the party must know that election is not war and issues, vision, and manifestos are debated in a civil and respectable manner, and not hiding behind strife and chaos to force their way to power.
“We urge the APC to refrain from their divisive tactics and resort to violence. They should instead bring their candidate out to speak to the people, even if it is in pidgin or his local Esan dialect, and as well debate with other candidates. Edo people deserve to hear directly from him to enable them to make informed decisions ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the State”, he said.
Commenting on the controversial Federal Government rice consignment to Edo State, the Commissioner said: “Government brought few trucks of rice which was distributed to Orphanages and other vulnerable people in the state”, adding “Government has passed the stage of discussing rice but now discussing policies that impact the people”.
He explained that in the last two and half months the state government has spent N2.2 billion through religious bodies in the state to buy rice and other food items to distribute to the people of the state.
“I can say categorically that the looted rice does not belong to the Federal Government. Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, bought the rice and bagged it with the Edo State Government name”, Nehikhare stated.
But in reaction to the government’s allegation, the APC said the continued rehash of phantom puny stories by Governor Godwin Obaseki and his godson, Asue Ighodalo, is a reflection of their fear of reprisals from Edo State people who recently capitalized on the #EEndBadGovernance protest that was sponsored by Obaseki against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to search for their hidden palliatives which the governor stored in the houses of PDP leaders.
The party in a statement signed by by Comrade Orobosa Omo-Ojo, JP, Director of Publicity, APC Campaign Council, said: “Edo people will recall how the Governor organized the anti-federal government protest at Oba Ovoranmwen Square with N200 million, all in his bid to demonize Tinubu and APC and punish Edo people who he have deprived of their palliatives.
“But contrary to Obaseki’s expectation, while he was addressing his PDP members and political aides he gathered as protesters, the real protesters heeded the call by APC to locate their rice and other palliatives hidden in Edo State Government warehouses and houses of PDP members.
“The real protesters that were present in Ovoranmwen square hurled water sachets at Obaseki while some called him “useless man.” Since our charge to Edo people to take back their rice, over four warehouses and private homes have been bursted by hungry men and women to collect what rightly belongs to them.
“The fear of losing the entire hidden grains had led to Obaseki’s sudden hatred for organisers of the protest who he now calls, hoodlums and thugs. Same group of persons he praised for causing hardship on the streets of Edo State”.
The statement alleged that Obaseki and Ighodalo’s incessant noise is a cover up for the grand economic corruption the two friends have committed against Edo people.
“It is also a panic measure by them to curry support in the face of impending disqualification of PDP and its candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission, over the forging of voter’s card.
“Finally, the APC in Edo is using this medium to notify our people that Obaseki only yesterday applied and got the approval of Edo State House of Assembly to borrow N8.550 billion for the purchase of his imaginary CNG buses. We reject the fresh loan on the heels of N11.1 billion Obaseki received from the Federal Account in the month of June.
“Asue is a worse version of Obaseki, therefore, Edo people must do everything to reject PDP at the polls on September 21, 2024”, the APC said.
