From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, has appealed to Edo State residents and other Nigerians to shun acts of violence in their protests against government.
In a statement by his campaign office, the lawmaker representing Edo Central Senatorial district, condemned the government for supporting the protests against the Federal Government and the APC in the state at a time other state governors were working round the clock to prevail on the youths to shun violent protests.
The statement alleged that intelligence reports on Wednesday evening had revealed that the state government was mobilising some hoodlums with money to join the protests.
Okpebholo, however, appealed to the people to give President Tinubu time as the process of rebuilding Nigeria has started on a good note, within the short time he has been in the saddle.
“The courage of President Tinubu to fight the oil subsidy cabals and the historic local government autonomy are exemplary feats of his administration.”
While condemning the destruction of the billboards of Senator Okpebholo Campaign and other property by suspected hoodlums, the Campaign Office noted that the only thriving industry now in the state was thuggery.
The Campaign Office, however, advised the governor to focus on improving the lives of the people and employ more teachers in the schools instead of engaging in unnecessary political battles using state resources.
The Campaign Office called on Governor Obaseki to account for the over N500 billion loan he has accumulated over time without any infrastructure nor any visible development to show in the state.
“We are aware that a warehouse was also bungled in Urora area near Benin City by the protesters and several bags of rice looted. That was the rice from the Federal Government for the people of Edo State.
“But the PDP government had kept the bags of rice in a secret warehouse with the intention to re-bag them and sell to the unsuspecting public. This is part of the corruption that has put the state in very deplorable situation.”