Tony Osauzo, Benin
The former deputy governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu has said in Benin that the recent spate of bomb attacks and other forms of violence against members of the APC in Edo State, represents a brutal affront on the security of life and property.
“Whereas the primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of the citizens, it would appear in Edo State that this basic constitutional responsibility of government has been totally abandoned with the blatant acquiescence of the authorities over the reckless and incessant attacks on officials and members of APC in Edo State,” he said in a statement he issued in Benin.
Odudu, one of the governorship aspirants of the APC in the forthcoming September 19 gubernatorial election in the state, stated that “under normal circumstances, no responsible government will tolerate in the least, without the slightest concern, the spate of attacks on political opponents within the ruling party in a state that has hitherto enjoyed some modicum of peace.
“The situation in Edo State, therefore, behooves on the security agencies to rise up to the challenge of securing the lives and properties of helpless citizens from the hands of criminal elements who have taken their insidious enterprise to an intolerable level.
“From the attack on Barrister Henry Idahagbon, a former Attorney General of the State, to the bomb blasts in the respective residences of Chief Francis Inegbeniki, Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo and the most recent Engr Lawrence Okah, State APC scribe. It is disheartening that no attempt has been made to provide some explanation as to the cause and characters behind these dastardly acts.
“Bearing in mind that no meaningful development can occur in an atmosphere of chaos, it is therefore incumbent on government at every level to reassess the security situation in Edo State with a view to ensuring that lives and property are protected,” he said.
But the state government has taken on members of the Edo People’s Movement (EPM) over allegations that Governor Godwin Obaseki was behind the bombing incidents targeted at some personalities in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Paul Ohonbamu, who spoke for the government, said the bombings were designed by those opposed to the governor and his administration towards creating an impression of state of insecurity so that President Muhammadu Bihari can declare a state of emergency in Edo State.
“In the past two weeks, we have these incidents of bombings, explosions orchestrated by the EPM even though they point fingers at us,” the commissioner said.
He traced the origin of the crisis rocking the state chapter of the APC to the inauguration of the State House of Assembly, stressing that Governor Obaseki did his constitutional duty by issuing a proclamation letter for the inauguration but that he was not the one to perform the actual exercise.
He explained that the dissent against the Obaseki’s administration increased when it became obvious that the opposing groups lost grip with the vision and mission of the administration and therefore plotted a failed bid to enter the state legislature through the backdoor in order to impeach the governor.
“The bombings are a smear campaign to say that Governor Obaseki is not doing well,” Ohonbamu said but noted that the situation was becoming severe even though it was not yet critical, hence government’s intervention.
He described Governor Obaseki as a non-violent man of integrity who believes in the rule of law.
The commissioner, while accusing EPM as the ‘aggressive one’, alleged that they just want to remove the governor as they removed ex-Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau through the proclamation of a state of emergency,” even as he insisted that ”the governor cannot be removed by these elements”.
On the statement credited to Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s that Obaseki had failed to sympathise with the victims of the bomb explosions, Ohonbamu maintained that the governor did not believe in ‘jamborees’ by paying visits.
He condemned the threats and boasts by opponents that they would overrun the governor at the primaries, adding “all their boasts amount to impotent grandstanding as Obaseki would defeat them all.”