July 21, (THEWILL) -Two months to the September 21, 2024 governorship poll in Edo State, the language of conversation has turned violent with a likelihood of worsening as some of the contestants jostle for reckoning.
Nobody can say for sure what actually triggered last Thursday’s attack in Benin-City on the convoy of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and the reinstated Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, until police conclude their investigation. But the strained relationships and diatribes against and between contestants and supporters have fouled the terrain, according to analysts.
A few days earlier, Shaibu, who was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly on April 8, 2024, was last Wednesday reinstated, following a ruling by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Abuja High Court, who held that the former Deputy Governor was unjustly impeached.
The House of Assembly reacted immediately in a statement that it had appealed the judgement.
Explaining his current status within his party, the governing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following Thursday’s attack, Shaibu said he was already an unofficial member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, adding that he was merely bidding his time in the PDP until he officially dumps the ruling party in the state.
He also disclosed why he was in the company of the APC candidate, Senator Okpebholo. According to him, his spirit has since left the PDP.
He said, “In PDP now, everybody can support whoever they like. On the issue of supporting a candidate, the constitution guarantees that you can support who you like and you can belong to any political party,” adding that “As of now, I’m a PDP man and I will not support anybody while I am in another party, contrary to who I am supporting. For now, I am a member of PDP, but going forward, I am good as being a member of APC; I can tell you that I have my two legs in APC.
“The only thing that is keeping me in PDP is that I have not officially declared. Talking more seriously, I am actually a member of APC, but unofficial. My spirit has left PDP for a long time, it is only my legs and body that are still there because my PDP party card is still with me and I have not picked an APC party card yet.” But Shaibu blamed Governor Godwin Obaseki for fuelling the political crisis between them, claiming that his attempts to call a truce by phoning Obaseki, 111 times failed to yield any result.
“I have made up my mind not to call him again, but I always send him texts. Before now, when I started counting, I called him (Obaseki) 111 times during that crisis, but he never picked up. I sent him texts, and he never replied, but it never really mattered. The last text I sent to him was on his birthday,” Shaibu said.
In its reaction, the state government alleged that it had observed the level of wanton destruction perpetrated by thugs working in connivance with the former deputy governor.
Chris Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, alleged that thugs loyal to Shaibu have unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens in the guise of enforcing the judgement reinstating him to office.
“We want to reiterate that Shaibu will face the consequences of violence that he has resorted to in pursuit of his aim to return to Government House even when he is aware that a stay of execution of the judgement has been filed,” he said.
The Commissioner enjoined the general public to be calm and go about their lawful businesses.
On the Thursday attack on Senator Okpebholo and Shaibu, Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Edo, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said the incident was being investigated.
“It is premature for the police to confirm at this time until the investigation is concluded,” he said.
Meanwhile, THEWILL checks showed that security had been strengthened at the premises of the Deputy Governor of the state, Godwins Omobayo, located on Osadebey Avenue, near the airport, in Benin City to forestall any attack against him.
The Thursday attack happened on Airport Road, when Senator Okpebholo and several others, arrived the city from Abuja aboard a chartered flight.
A police officer was said to have been shot dead and three others wounded.
It was not immediately known if Okpebholo was wounded, but he is said to have been taken an undisclosed hospital in Benin City.
Meanwhile, a police officer identified as Okon and assigned to Okpebholo was killed after thugs attacked his convoy and that of Shaibu on Thursday.
Shaibu and Okpebholo arrived at the Benin Airport around 2 pm to the rousing welcome of supporters.
The gunmen were said to have opened fire on the convoy, which led to a reprisal by the armed security details assigned to the APC candidate and Shaibu.
The incident forced shops and offices around the vicinity to hurriedly shut down, while majority of motorists abandoned their vehicles and scampered off to safety.
But a statement by Mr Godswill Inegbe, an aide to Okpebholo said his principal was attacked by the gunmen.
“During the unprovoked attack, three mobile policemen attached to the security detail of Sen. Okpebholo were injured with bullet wounds, while one of the policemen is feared dead,” Inegbe said.
According to him, Okpebholo is at this moment admitted in an undisclosed hospital in Benin City for medical attention with other members of the entourage.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
