By SIMON EBEGBULEM
BENIN CITY – FORMER United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Walter Carrington, the governorship candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri and former Special Adviser to the President, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, yesterday, joined other Nigerians in condemning the murder of the Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde at his Benin City, residence last Friday.

In a letter to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, which was jointly signed by his wife, Arese, the Carringtons said: “We are greatly saddened and shocked to learn of the assassination of your trusted Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde. Whenever we interacted with him, we found him to be most helpful and kind.

“The most important basic of human rights are those of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Olaitan has been cruelly deprived of all three. We send our deepest condolences to you, his grieving family, colleagues and friends.”

The candidate of a coalition of progressive political parties running on the platform of ANPP, ahead the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has condoled Governor Oshiomhole and the family of Oyerinde.

Chief Edebiri called on security agencies to fish out Oyerinde’s killers and bring them to book, adding: “The news came to us with shock. Our heart bleeds for the family of Mr. Oyerinde, the diseased and victim, and it shows the breakdown of security in the country, including Edo State.”

On his part, Prof.Ihonvbere, who described the killing as barbaric and wicked, said: “we are both members of Campaign for Democracy and worked very closely. I knew him quite well, he was very efficient and loyal democrat. It is sad that Edo State is flooded with enemies of democracy, but they will not win because darkness can never over come light.”