From Tony Osauzo, Benin
For the second time in two weeks, hundreds of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters, grassroots mobilisers and admirers of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, yesterday, trooped to the streets to protest the plan by members of the House of Assembly to impeach him on allegations they considered not only frivolous but a political vendetta.
The protesters, under the aegis of Edo North PDP Rescue Movement, (ENREM), first converged on the popular Jattu Junction, Etsako West Local Government, with placards in the early hours of the day and later marched round the major streets of the local government before converging on the Jattu Junction where they addressed newsmen.
The protesters, carrying placards with various inscriptions, called on the House of Assembly to focus on providing good legislative governance for Edo people which they represent, rather than engage in fruitless ventures of impeachment that brings no food to the table of hungry Edo people who suffer the brunt of bad governance and poor representation in the state.
Besides, the protesters, particularly, reminded the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, to listen to the voice of reason rather than work against the interest of Afemai, his own people who elected him to represent their interest.
Addressing newsmen, leader of the protesters, Festus Owu, accused those behind the impeachment as those who in the past benefitted from the good gesture and kindness of Shaibu.
He condemned the alleged roles of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the impeachment, reminding him of the inalienable and fundamental rights of Shaibu to express his desire to be elected governor of the state.
“Any party that wants to win elections must believe in coherence, must believe in resolving the problem facing them and not exacerbate it.
Every man has the right to contest an election, Shaibu has expressed his willingness to contest to be Edo governor and anyone stopping it is deliberately returning the state to the era of godfather,” Owu said and reminded the governor of his statement made few years ago that anybody, including himself, should be stoned whenever he makes attempt to become a godfather in the state but however said the governor won’t be stoned but left to be tormented by his conscience.
Owu also told Agbebaku “not to become a puppet and rubber stamp speaker in the hands of enemies of our state who do not mean well for the people,” just as he tackled the leadership of the PDP national working committee.
He described their silence as questionable, unacceptable and acceptance of being part of the ongoing evil in the state.
, saying their silence is a clear leadership failure. He urged the party to do the needful and save PDP from imminent collapse.
“If you tell a man not to farm in your farmland, it does not mean he will not farm that year. What the state desires now more than ever is peace,” Owu said, adding that all stakeholders should join hands with the governor and the deputy to ensure peace in the state and in unity collectively mobilise support across the state to win the governorship election.
Shaibu has been at the receiving end following his move to succeed Governor Obaseki in office. Against all odds, in a parallel election, Shaibu contested the party’s primary on February 22 where he was declared winner by delegates from across the 18 local government areas of the state.