As unending drama keeps unfolding in Edo politics, the Edo Integration Group has flayed Philip Shaibu, Edo State Deputy Governor over deriding comments he made against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.
The group in a statement signed by its President, Dr Augustine Edomwonyi kicked at the continuous attack by the Deputy Governor on the personality of Oshiomhole.
Last week, Shaibu had alleged that the APC national chairman has constantly disobeyed orders of the state government by organising illegal rallies. He claimed such behaviours made the state government to petition the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), demanding the arrest of the APC national chairman.
Shuaibu who spoke on the sidelines of the APC Governors Forum Steering Committee meeting said that the actions of Oshiomhole have continued to threaten the peace and security of the state.
While condemning Shaibu’s public outburst against the APC National Chairman, the group noted that “it has become important for us as an organization desirous of peace in the political space in Edo State to call the attention of well meaning Edo people to a deliberate ploy by the State government to foist a state of lawlessness and anomie on our state with a view to continue to unleash violence on hapless and peace loving people of the state.
“It is now clear that the State government is interested in calling out Mr Oshiomhole for a fight to justify its plan to request him to recuse himself from the conduct of the upcoming governorship primaries of the APC. The provocative and vexatious call by the Deputy Governor for the arrest of a nationalist like Oshiomhole, who is a pride to Edo people calls into question the Edo government’s lip service to peace in the state.”
Continuing, Dr Edomwonyi noted that, “A government that has no answers to the spates of fire incidents in many major markets in Benin that has dispossessed many struggling families cannot be stoking and calling for a needless fight with its benefactor. In the past one week alone, assassination attempts have been made on the lives of prominent leaders opposed to the governor’s second term ambition without any condemnation by the government.”
According to the President of the group, “The deputy governor’s insults on Mr. Oshiomhole on the clear instructions of Mr. Godwin Obaseki is not only legendary but reprehensible. Some years ago, the same Philip Shaibu thoroughly abused the Esama of Benin Kingdom without recourse to the respect that Edo people have for elders. Today, he is on the same voyage. We wish him well”.
They further advised the Deputy Governor and the Edo State Governor to thread softly as in the final analysis, everyone is answerable for his actions or inactions as posterity is the ultimate judge in the affairs of men.
“This needless course of action by the Edo State government in spoiling for a fight portends a grave danger to the peace, stability and development of our state. We therefore caution them to retrace their steps, embrace peace, and allow every political actor their constitutionally-guaranteed right to freedom of association.
“The hard fought freedom we enjoy today must not be sacrificed at the altar of a second term aspiration of any politician. You do not secure the mandate of a people by force but by persuasion,” the group added.
