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Tony Osauzo, Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, gave insight into how the booing of Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, by ordinary citizens of the state resulted in attack on them allegedly by the agents of the governor at the front of the palace of the Oba of Benin last Saturday in Benin City.
The State Chairman of APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki, made the revelation in a statement he issued to refute the claim of the PDP that the protest that resulted in the attack was sponsored by the APC.
“A clear example of their violent conduct and brutality was witnessed by all in the incident that took place on Saturday, the 25th of July, when Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the outgoing Governor of the State, and his cohorts of tax-collectors were confronted, through a peaceful protest, by the people of Edo State who are both repulsed and angered at the continuous unraveling of his collapsing government marked by daily resignations and revelations of fraud.
“As video evidence and several objective eye-witness accounts show, this incident took place outside of the Palace, in the Oredo Local Council.
“Before stepping out of his convoy, the youth and older people of Edo State who had gathered within the vicinity of the Oredo Council as it is familiar during political seasons and festive ceremonies, sighted Obaseki’s entourage and immediately expressed their displeasure with the governor’s politics, his administration, and his governance. This visceral reaction is not surprising for people who feel oppressed and enraged that their commonwealth has been so far poorly managed and used to ends not beneficial to them and other taxpayers.
“The PDP’s turn around to claim that the APC sponsored a protest that organically rose and vociferously spoke against their candidate’s misrule is downright bemusing, and it reveals a party’s hubris, a haughtiness that prevents them from a much-needed soul searching that may have led to changed ways and changed strategies.
“Unfortunately, they remain adamant in their wrong ways. But even in their illogical stubbornness, the facts remain consistent and eloquent and they are that the APC or any of its organs were not in the palace and the Oredo vicinity on the said day.
“Furthermore, it is clear that the youths there were never commissioned by the APC and their booing of Obaseki was done on their own accord. It is not the first time the Governor has suffered such treatment, attracted by his failure. Only days ago, the frontal of the Government House was converted into a make-shift football field as protesting owed staff of the Ekiadolor College of Education set camp there to demand their owed salaries”, the statement said.
According to the statement, “It was in reaction to this frantic and energetic protest of rejection against him and his party in Oredo that Obaseki instructed his arsenal of cultists to open fire on innocent youthful Edo citizens expressing their feelings within the ambit of the law”.
It disclosed that the victims of that violent attack have gone public to mention and explain who and how they were assaulted.
“The victims clearly stated they were attacked by agents of the Governor. To solidify this fact, we will petition the IGP and equally display all video evidence of our cars and other campaign materials destroyed in the riot staged by Obaseki’s thugs.
“It is important to note that the APC has held several events with no violence, how come it is on the day of the PDP campaign flag-off that so much violence ensued? The intimidated and visionless PDP has resorted to throwing away their competitors out of the window so they only can have the stage. Unfortunately, that is not the way democracy works.
“Ultimately, it is imperative to also note the violent antecedents of Governor Godwin Obaseki. From the violently charged verb language of his politics to the erratic actions of his ways, proofs abound that this man is not a wise, good, and conscionable leader of peace. On National TV, Godwin Obaseki has repeatedly used terms and phrases like “I will crush”, “I will deal with”, and an endless list of loaded language aimed at inciting violence”, the APC statement said.
