The All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party are trading blames over the clash of their supporters at the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II on Saturday, as a PDP entourage and Governor Godwin Obaseki visited to get royal blessings.
PDP alleges APC and its leaders sponsored the attack, but APC says the attack was sponsored by PDP and Obaseki.
Chairman of Edo PDP campaign council, Dan Orbih, said the attack was an organised plan and strategy to drive fear in mind of the supporters of governor Obaseki and PDP so that on election day they will be scared to come out to vote.
” The visit of governor Obaseki, PDP governors, PDP national chairman and members of national working committee was officially communicated to the palace and the various security agents in accordance with INEC guide lines,”
“There was no official records stating that APC has any event scheduled either at the palace or anywhere in Benin,” he said.
“After the governor and PDP guest had left the palace, persons with PDP caps were attacked and their cars destroyed by those who were organised to carry out the attack.
“No amount of violence will stop Edo People who has resolved not to go back to the era where thugs take over the roads and markets, motor parks to harass people,”.
Orbih who called on security agencies to bring to book perpetrators of the attack, alleged that the attack was sponsored by the sponsors of the APC and its candidate in Edo state.
Patrick Obahiagbon Vice-Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, APC National Campaign Council, alleged that it was the governor’s supporters who attacked protesters at the entrance of the palace for expressing their rejection of the governor.
He said after the palace’s incident, APC’s supporters and party members wearing Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s caps and T-shirts were physically assaulted on the streets of Benin City.
” Many of our supporters with gunshot wounds are receiving treatment following the attack,” he said.
Obahiagbon alleged that names of prominent leaders of APC have been compiled to be dealt with them so as to destabilize them during the election.
He added, that they have also a plan to arrest Adams Oshiomhole on trumped-up charges at the eleventh hour of electoral politics, arraign him in Court and denied him bail on the eve of election in order to paralyzed the APC.
Obahiagbon called on INEC, the police, and other relevant stakeholders prevail on the governor to allow the rule of law and a level playing field to hold supreme between now and the end of the Edo governorship elections.
It would be recalled that on Saturday the supporters of the APC and that of the PDP clashed at the palace of the Oba of Benin when governor Obaseki and PDP entourage visited the palace for royal blessing.
