Tony Osauzo, Benin
Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, have strongly condemned Thursday’s assassination attempt on a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Henry Idahagbon, just as they tasked the police to fishout the culprits.
Led by a factional chairman of the party, Col. David Imuse, the party big wigs who were on a solidarity visit to Idahagbon at his law chambers on Siluko Road, tasked the police to fish out the culprits.
Among the party chieftains were two former deputy governors of the state, Rev. Peter Obadan, Dr. Pius Odubu, the immediate past deputy governor of the state; former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere.
Idahagbon in a statement to the police, shortly after the shooting, pointed fingers at a former transport union leader and some top government officials of having a hand in the assassination plot.
In his comment, Imuse called on APC faithful not to take the law into their hands and maintain peace as the police investigates the shooting which resulted in injuries to three persons.
“I am making a passionate appeal to our supporters to remain calm. There should be no retaliation. We totally condemn the shooting. We are not pointing fingers at anybody but the police should speed up the investigation,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Ize-Iyamu urged the police to act swiftly and bring the culprits to book as nobody is above the law.
He chided the state government for remaining silent on the shooting, considering the fact that Idahagbon, played a prominent role in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s election in 2016.
“Idahagbon was Edo State immediate past Atttorney General and Commissioner and played a prominent role in Obaseki’s election. It is shameful that the state government has not deemed it fit to issue a statement condemning the shooting. I am appealing to the law enforcement agents to do their job. Names have been mentioned. Nobody should be above the law,” he said.