*Parties trade blames
*Oba Ewuare II sues for peace
*Gov unveils agenda

By Gabriel Enogholase and Ozioruva Aliu

SEVERAL persons were, yesterday, injured as supporters of the two main political parties in the country, All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, clashed near the palace of the Oba of Benin when PDP governors, led by the Chairman of the PDP Campaign Council, Governor Nyesom Wike, who were in the state to flag off the campaign of its candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, visited the Oba of Benin.

The two parties traded blames.

Whereas the APC accused PDP of unleashing violence on its supporters, PDP blamed the crisis on the ruling party in the state.

On its part, the state government condemned the violence.

Book makers had predicted violence ahead of the September 19 governorship election in Edo, after the intrigues that denied Obaseki of the re-election ticket on the platform of the APC.

The governor put the blame on his predecessor and former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who apparently supported Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to clinch the ticket.

Obaseki subsequently defected to the PDP where he is flying the flag of the party in the forthcoming election.

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, was doing the dedication of a new prince, yesterday, and so attracted prominent Benin sons and daughters,  including a dance group led by a chieftain of the APC, Tony Adun, popularly called Kabaka, when the clash happened.

The group was said to be performing in front of the palace awaiting the arrival of business mogul, Captain Hosa Okunbor, and Ize Iyamu when a group of supporters in the governor’s  convoy, while driving out of the palace, beckoned on the dancing group to come and join them and, in the process, argument ensued and gunshots rented the air.

Meanwhile, Oba Ewuare II reaffirmed the  palace position of non-partisanship in the gubernatorial election in Edo while hosting the Obaseki team.

The monarch, while receiving his visitors, posited that he had concluded arrangement to summon an emergency meeting of council of traditional rulers and chiefs to strategise on a fresh traditional means to ensure a violence free gubernatorial election in the state.

Oba Ewuare II hailed Wike for his effort in rescuing former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Joi Nunieh, from police siege in her house recently.

He said: “”I remember when I visited Governor Obaseki in his office, he asked me to pray for him to be able to complete his tenure in office and I did, and today, he has not been impeached despite the ups and downs and I thank my God and my ancestors for answering my prayers.

“When I also visited Rivers and Cross Rivers States, the governors there asked me to intervene in the Edo State political crisis and I said I will not give up and that we have been praying and  I thank God and our ancestors that we had the primary elections in the state and there was no bloodshed and it was so peaceful.

“And now as we about going to the governorship election proper, I am going to summon Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs to pray for a peaceful election in the state.

“We all know that there is nothing prayers cannot do. It is prayers that have been keeping the country going”.

APC accuses PDP of unleashing violence

Speaking on the clash, yesterday, Edo State Media Campaign Council of the APC for the governorship election accused Obaseki and the PDP of unleashing violence on the people in Benin City.

In a  statement, the Council alleged that the governor instructed thugs to attack the people as retribution for their public booing of his arrival with various chants labelling him a ‘’rejected candidate” and for spurning his rally.

The party also accused Obaseki and his loyalists of destroying their own billboards at different locations in the state as a gimmick to deflect responsibility and get a reprieve for the alleged organized destruction of APC billboards after the party filed a petition with the police and other relevant agencies.

“It is sad that Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the outgoing governor of Edo State, has, today, Saturday, July 25, displayed the same traits of intolerance and penchant for violence that made the people of Edo State unanimously reject him”, the statement said.

“Booed by the people at the entrance of the palace of our great Oba of Benin for handing the state to the PDP tax collectors who are unconscionably feasting on our collective patrimony, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as an act of revenge, instructed the thugs and cultists he has spent the past few weeks recruiting in the State and beyond to attack the people with dangerous arms”.

Edo govt condemns ‘attack’

On its part, Edo State government condemned what it called  attack on its guests, notably governors and other Very Important Persons (VIPs) at the Oba’s palace in Benin-City.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, alleged that thugs were sponsored by the APC, its candidate, Ize-Iyamu and Oshiomhole to cause mayhem in the state.

“We are appalled by the deployment of thugs to the sacred grounds of the Oba’s palace to harass guests who are in the state for the flag-off of Governor Obaseki’s campaign and had visited the palace to pay obeisance to His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin.

“While we respect the boundaries of politics as it relates to the palace, it is reprehensible that the APC, its candidate and their enablers would sponsor thugs to desecrate the palace, which is a clear case of desperation to score cheap points.

“This conduct is not a trait of Edo people and is condemned in the strongest possible terms, as we are courteous and welcoming to guests. It is obvious that these persons were mobilised for this task by those who have no regard for the palace nor want the progress and development of the state.”

We are sure of victory –  Obaseki

Later yesterday, Obaseki declared that he was certain of victory at the September poll while unveiling the Make Edo Great Again (MEGA) plan to Edo electorate.

The governor spoke at the flag-off of his campaign at the Lawn Tennis Court of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

Dignitaries at the event include governors drawn from the South-South region and other parts of the country including Ifeanyi Okowa, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Nyesom Wike, Duoye Diri, Seyi Makinde and Sen. Bala Mohammed of Delta, Sokoto, Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo and Bauchi states, respectively.

Other guests at the event include Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi; National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus; Chairman of DAAR Communications, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Chief Tom Ikimi; Sen. Clifford Ordia and Barr. Ken Imasuagbon, among others.

“I am happy today that I have been given the party’s flag to contest the governorship election on September 19, 2020. I did it before and will do it again. We would focus on improving governance to transform the lives of our  people. In the next four years, Edo would continue in the quest to become the economic hub of the nation”, Obaseki said at the occasion.

The governor unveiled MEGA, which he said would prepare the state for a post-coronavirus (COVID-19) world.

READ ALSO: EDO 2020: Promote peace, stop the confrontations, I Go Dye writes Obaseki

He noted, “We are saying that we will, working with you, make Edo great again. Our message is one of hope and the future. We are one people; we have one dream and one heritage. The blood of our forefathers who built an empire and dominated their space still runs in us today. If they were able to achieve what they achieved over 500 years ago, we will achieve much more today.”

On his part, Wike urged all Edo people to come out en masse to cast their votes for Governor Obaseki and equally protect their votes to return the governor in office, to enable him continue his good work for the majority of the people.

Also, Okowa, who is the  Chairman of South-South PDP Governors’ Forum, urged Edo voters to reject the antics of Oshiomhole, the APC and its candidate, Ize-Iyamu, adding: “Looking at the debt Oshiomhole left for the state, I pitied Obaseki but as a technocrat, the governor did well and has greatly reduced the debt burden of the state, and has put Edo on the path of development.

Mohammed and Makinde, speaking at the occasion, described Obaseki as a resource person that has represented the state and nation well.

Tambuwal, who is the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, on his part, charged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that Edo State governorship election is free, fair and credible.

Tambuwal added: “No single individual can decide the fate of Edo people as no one man is superior to Edo people.”

Boost

In a related development, Obaseki’s re-election bid received a major boost as his PDP, it was learnt, received more defectors from the APC in Oredo Local Government Area, yesterday.

Amidst cheers and fanfare, leader of the APC in Oredo Ward 3, Comrade Fidelis Owen, allegedly led thousands of APC members to the PDP, reaffirming their support for the second term aspiration of the governor Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu.

Oredo Ward 11 also witnessed mass defection as leaders of the APC, in Oredo Ward 11, Mr. Tony Alile and Mr. Hon Godwin Igbinoba led other leaders, executives and members of the party to the PDP.

Vanguard