Tension rose in Benin City ahead of a planned rally by a faction of APC to receive decampees from PDP on Friday.
The faction who are members of the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) loyal to the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, will receive the 2016 governorship candidate of the PDP, Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his supporters across the state.
Correspondents on the streets in Benin City say hoodlums set bonfires at the party secretariat along Airport Road and at the city’s popular Ring Road, creating tension in the area.
The development resulted to grid ock for hours as vehicles struggled to turn and drive against traffic.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu had during a press conference said he is not joining any of the faction as there is no faction in the party.
It was gathered that the party national leader, Ahmed Tinubu, the national chairman, Adams Oshiomole among other party members from the national secretariat will grace the event.
But the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said that as a leader of the state chapter of the party he is not aware of the proposed rally by the party in the state.
The governor in a statement by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, said checks with the state secretariat of the party indicated that there was no rally holding in Edo State.
“We want to reiterate that we are not aware of any rally being organised in the state by the APC. As the leader of the party, it is only proper that the governor is made aware of any such rally. But as at today, we are not aware of any rally, as there has not been communication between the Governor’s office and the party chairman to that effect.
