BENIN – A press statement by the campaign organization of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Oredo west, Mr. Agbonifo Eghosa has called on his APC counterpart, Mr. Christopher Okaeben to eschew all forms of violence ahead of the state constituency elections into Edo state house assembly (EDHA) scheduled for March 9th, 2019.
See full text of his press statement:
Fellow Edolites, you will recall that our Royal Father, the revered Oba of Benin, Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, called those seeking political offices in the state, and commanded that the elections be peaceful.
As a respecter of our laws and custom, and subject of the Royal stool, we have tried within our power to put our supporters in check and to obey that directive.
We have managed to ensure that our team, (which are mainly youths), don’t involve in campaigns that can instigate violence. Even during our street to street campaigns, residents of Oredo West can bear us witness, of how we have more than once, made our team take another route to avoid a direct confrontation with those in the opposing party.
We are making efforts to remain peaceful, knowing that the election will come and go, but we will all remain residents and indigenes of this state. Howbeit, Hon Christopher Ewere Okaeben, seems to be bent on causing violence.
Prior to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, we got first-hand information of how his thugs were tearing our posters around Community primary school, Payne Primary school, New Era College, Edokpolor Grammar school, Agbado Primary school, and New Benin market, down to third cemetery area.
We made a press statement on social media, calling on those that have his ears to please call him to order. But instead of relenting, it seems he got energised as we did not retaliate. Perhaps he is taking our law-abiding nature for cowardice.
With the severe defeat he suffered in his constituency, and the state at large in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, he has stepped up in his attacks on us and our supporters. As at this moment, he has gone to threaten the leadership of ‘Keke Drivers Association’ at Upper Lawani. He told the Chairman, who happened to be from another part of Edo state, that he will send him to his village if he dares collect campaign materials from us. Same way he threatened the Vice Chairman, who is from South Eastern Nigeria. He went to Ewa road ‘Keke Drivers Association’ too to pass the same threat.
His thugs are knocking on the doors of People’s Democratic Party leaders in his constituency that won their various polling units in the last election, asking them not to come out in the state Assembly election that will hold on Saturday, the 9th of March, 2019. The youths in those areas are under pressure to retaliate, but we have been trying hard to handle the issue ourselves.
As it stands, we can no longer guarantee the calm nature of our supporters in those areas, as Christopher Ewere Okaeben continuous provocation might lead to an uncontrollable violent attack if not put in check now.
With the security architecture of the state already overstretched, as the youth restiveness in the Upper Sokponba area of Edo State is yet to be completely curtailed, we don’t want another war zone in Oredo West. Christopher Ewere Okaeben and the All Progressives Congress in Oredo West should refrain from causing violence.
Last Saturday election was won with the ballot in the whole of Edo state, and not with the bullet. Nobody can impose himself as a representative of the people in Edo state. Any further attempt made by Christopher Ewere Okaeben and his minions to provoke our supporters will be adequately resisted.
We, therefore, call on the security agencies, to please call Chris to order, for peace to reign in Oredo West.
Nobody has the monopoly of violence.
God bless Oredo West
God bless Edo State
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
IDEDE Oseyande
Secretary,
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