By Seyi Babalola
The Edo State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised Governor Godwin Obaseki to release killers of Inspector Akor Onu to the Nigeria Police for prosecution.
The APC gave the advise in a statement in Benin City on Tuesday by Prince Kassim Afegbua as a response to the alarm the governor had raised over the Sept 21 governorship election in Edo State.
Afegbua, who is director, media, APC Governorship Campaign Council, accused the governor of opening the doors of the government for criminals to hide after committing crimes against the people.
He said: “As peace-loving people, we complained to the security agencies and also insisted that those who allegedly murdered Inspector Akor Onu MUST face the full wrath of the law, but Governor Obaseki has consistently harboured them in Edo Government House, boasting that if anybody dared to arrest his “boys”, that Edo state, nay Nigeria would burn.”
*Full Text of the Statement…
EDO 2024 AND GOVERNOR OBASEKI’S LAMENTATIONS
We have repeatedly made it known that those who wield enormous powers when they climbed unto the podium of power, should always have the terminal date in mind when their tenure is winding down.
We saw a deflated Governor Obaseki, who has misled the state and created several divisions across the state, lamenting his plights about those alleged criminal elements that were arrested by the Nigeria Police for violent acts in several parts of the state.
We have also repeatedly alerted the security agencies of several attacks on our candidate starting from the July 18th Airport Road attack, to that of Ekpoma, Ososo and Ekperi, but Governor Obaseki kept mute pretending not to be aware of our concerns.
We have also declared that; the fact that we have restrained from resorting to self help does not convey any act of cowardice on our part, but because we are peace-loving people, we wouldn’t want to travel on the bloody route which Governor Obaseki and his “boys” were dragging us.
We have resisted all provocations from the PDP quarters and had warned them to desist from taking laws into their hands, but following assurances given them by Governor Obaseki, they have continued to intimidate, harass and threaten our members by violent attacks.
As peace-loving people, we complained to the security agencies and also insisted that those who allegedly murdered Inspector Akor Onu MUST face the full wrath of the law, but Governor Obaseki has consistently harboured them in Edo Government House, boasting that if anybody dared to arrest his “boys”, that Edo state, nay Nigeria would burn.
We wish to put it to Governor Obaseki that there is limitation to ephemerality of power and abuse of same by those who wield it.
You cannot as a Governor deploy so much executive recklessness in defence of those who are acting on your behalf to cause mayhem to the good people of Edo state.
We are further alarmed that as an elected Governor whose tenure is fasting wearing away, that Governor Obaseki could raise dust over the legitimate activities of the Nigeria Police whose primary responsibility is to maintain law and order.
Could it be that Governor Obaseki is trying to blackmail the Nigeria Police from performing their constitutional responsibilities and in the process, create a narrative that would further buoy his “Lions” and “Tigers” to continue their reign of terror on Edo people?
We have alerted the relevant authorities of the need to invest more time and energy on Edo as a state of interest following the desperation of the Governor to supplant his godson on the leadership of the state.
We have noted with grave concern that Edo state may snowball into another BOKO HARAM CONCLAVE if the guns, arms and ammunition that have allegedly been distributed through Local Government Chairmen are not in a matter of urgency mopped up in record time, now, and after the election.
The historical antecedents of Boko Haram are beginning to rear their ugly heads in Edo state by the unholy activities of the Edo Security Network and the dubious mandate that the Governor had given them.
Our call is to the Inspector General of Police, to rein in these non-state actors from plunging the state into another theatre of war in the name of election.
Governor Obaseki’s wish is to unleash mayhem on the people of the state, use dubious means to procure results of election, especially now that he has boasted of having not lost election in the state.
Aside from his hypocritical emanations and the psychosis of his dictatorial tendencies, we see a man who is trying to deploy non-conventional methods to harm the electoral process.
We wish to plead with the relevant security agencies especially the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Service and the Nigeria Army to act patriotically in the interest of conducting a free, fair and credible election in the state.
Mr. IGP sir, do not bow to the pranks and theatrics of Governor Obaseki who has continuously charted the rough route to secure him victory no matter the bloodletting and carnage.
We have informed our members to keep Eagle eyes on Governor Obaseki and his goons as they strategically positioned themselves to unleash terror on a state that has been badly governed in the last eight years.
Let Edo people decide who governs them and let those who have been fingered to be complicit in the murder of Inspector Akor Onu be arrested, investigated and prosecuted in line with the laws of the land.
The recent lamentations of Governor Obaseki are part of his deliberate ploy to whip up petty sentiments for cheap political gains. As for us, we are not persuaded by his selfish argument.
The Law MUST take its course.
PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA
MEDIA DIRECTOR
APC CAMPAIGN COUNCIL.
EDO STATE.
