As the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to strictly adhere to all democratic norms, principles and constitutionally laid down rules in its preparations, approach and campaigns towards the forthcoming 19 September, 2020 governorship election in the state, we have been reliably informed by some credible sources of the sinister plan by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State to cause a high level breakdown of law and order as well as inflict maximum mayhem on members and supporters of the APC in the state.
The Edo State APC has fixed Saturday, 8th August, 2020 to flag off the governorship election campaign. The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo is expected to lead APC governors, former national Chairmen of the APC, National Assembly members, federal Ministers and top government officials to the peacefully planned and history making event.
In normal climes, the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki ought to have been on top of his game to ensure the visitors expected are provided with the uptomost security.
Unfortunately, instead of making necessary arrangements to provide the APC with adequate security before, during and after the flag off campaign, the Edo State People’s Democratic Party led by governor Godwin Obaseki is clandestinely planning to disrupt the event.
The governor of Edo State, the state chapter of the PDP in collaboration with their Rivers state godfather has recruited and funded their thugs who have commenced the stockpiling of hundreds of bags of pure water with the sinister mission of throwing them at the visitors from the airport to the Oba palace entrance and to the UNIBEN sports complex, venue of the campaign rally . This is to create a false impression that Edo people have rejected APC just to cover the shame and embarrassment caused by the protest against maladministration in Edo State by angry youths during their flag off at the front of the Palace of the great Oba of Benin. The Governor and the PDP in their vindicative style is trying to transfer the aggression on the APC tomorrow.
The Edo State APC had also reliably gathered that the the main agenda of the Governor Obaseki and the PDP is to humiliate and harm Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, his entourage and ultimately disrupt the historic flag off campaign.
Consequently, we wish to passionately draw the attention of all security agencies in the State to this heinous plan of the PDP to create an atmosphere of fear, tension, instability , anarchy and breach of security in the state by those who have the duty to protect all lives and property of Edo people no matter their political parties.
The Edo apc is law-abiding, peace-loving, democratic in all actions and deeds and would continue to apply the instrumentality of tolerance, fair play and unalloyed respect for all constituted authorities before, during and after the 19th September, 2020 Edo State Governorship election.
Moreover, we are not unaware of the mindless capacity of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the PDP to invade and desecrate sacred places and inflict injuries on innocent, armless and harmless citizens of the state. It is on historic record on how they mobilised thugs and criminals to shoot sporadically and injured several innocent people in the sacred palace of the revered Benin Monarch,Oba of Benin on the 25th July, 2020. A similar sacrilegious scene was last witnessed in the sacred palace in 1897 when the British soldiers invaded the Benin Kingdom. It is also on record of how they have unleashed terror on innocent APC members who were not supporting the governor’s second term big and our disrupt rallies.
We appeal to Governor Obaseki and the PDP to eschew threat, intimidation and violent approach in their conduct of affairs as the good people of Edo State have collectively resolved to use their PVCs to send Obaseki into premature political retirement.
