By METROWATCH
Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that Governor Godwin Obaseki was planning a mass protest to disrupt the September 21 governorship election coming up in the state.
The APC said the governor and his inner caucus perfected the plan for the protest at a meeting held at the Government House, Benin City, on Sunday, Sept 8.
The APC disclosed this in a statement by the director of media, APC Campaign Council, Prince Kassim Afegbua.
Afegbua also alleged in the statement that he gathered that the governor also disclosed at the meeting that he was working with other PDP state governors on the mass protest plan.
He added that Obaseki had vowed that he would not would not like to have the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, win or declared winner of the forthcoming election in the state.
According to Afegbua, “He (Obaseki) reportedly told them that, he would rather disrupt the country for change of government than to lose Edo state to the opposition APC.
“He (Obaseki) said that was why he decided to postpone school resumption date and that other PDP-controlled states would follow suit starting from this week.”
*Full text of the statement…
(PRESS STATEMENT)
RED ALERT! RED ALERT!! RED ALERT. !!!
As usual and based on our earlier promise to avail the public of the nefarious preparations of the Governor Obaseki-led PDP’s readiness to “burn” Nigeria, here is the latest plan by the Edo state Governor following a meeting held Sunday, 8 September, 2024 at the Government House.
Take note that those who were complicit in the killing of Inspector Akor Onu were also in attendance and yet to surrender themselves to the Nigeria Police.
We understand that one Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sanni Fodio, who is the Head of the State Criminal Investigation Department, is the one shielding these persons, boasting that nobody would touch them.
ACP Sanni Fodio is working in cahoot with the CSO to Governor Obaseki to orchestrate some of these frustrations.
For example, seven of our members and three of PDP members were arrested by Commander 4th Brigade, last week at Inikorogha and handed over to the Police.
Before you say Jack Robbinson, those PDP members were freed immediately by the ACP in charge of State CID while APC members were left till Sunday, before our legal team intervened.
The latest plan by Governor Obaseki is to shut down Edo State starting from 15th September, through mass protest, and that other PDP-controlled states would join the protest, with a view to inviting the military to take over the reins of power at the Federal level.
He also informed the meeting that other PDP-controlled states would postpone the resumption dates of schools to orchestrate a nation-wide protest that would lead to military take-over.
He reportedly told them that, he would rather disrupt the country for change of government than to lose Edo state to the opposition APC.
He said that was why he decided to postpone school resumption date and that other PDP-controlled states would follow suit starting from this week.
Following the earlier threat by Governor Obaseki that if anybody dared to arrest any of his “boys”, “Nigeria will burn”, this is to bring to the notice of the security agencies to act proactively before there is breakdown of law and order in the state.
We are following happenings in the Edo state Government House and we are alarmed at the level of desperation that has attended the inner circle of PDP and the Edo Government.
We are for democracy, rule of law and NOT for Military Rule.
We are for electoral process of one man, one vote and for constitutional democracy. The Governor had boasted last week during one of his campaigns that he has never lost any election, even though we are aware that he has lost some election.
The security agencies should take a precipitate action to nip this in the bud to avoid a total shut down of the state, knowing that elections are just two weeks away.
We pray the Security Agencies, especially the Inspector General of Police, rise up to this challenge in good time before it is too late.
E-Signed:
Prince Kassim Afegbua
Director Media,
Edo APC Campaign Council,
Benin City
