By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THE Benin Forum, an umbrella body of all Bini in the country and the Diaspora, led by the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, weekend, said those peddling rumours that there was crisis in the Forum were enemies of the Bini.

Reacting to a publication by some persons, who claimed to be members of the Forum, wherein they called for the resignation of Chief Edebiri over his comment that the Bini will not vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, Public Relations Officer of the Forum, Michael Ogbeide-Ihama, said: “Certain names that were mentioned in the publication as members and officers of the Benin Forum are, in fact, not known to the genuine members of the Forum.

“I wish to emphatically point out that there is no crisis whatsoever in the Benin Forum. Those peddling such rumour are mischief makers, who do not mean well for the Benin people.”

Recalling that the Forum had on January 25, 2015, taken decisions as regards the forthcoming general elections, where it declared that the Forum will not endorse any of the presidential candidates yet, Ogbeide-Ihama said the interview, where the Esogban stated reasons why the Bini may not vote for President Jonathan, was in exercise of his fundamental human rights.