…Place Curse On Governor’s Tormentors
From Joseph Obukata (The New Diplomat’s N’Delta Correspondent)
The crisis rocking Edo state House of Assembly on Friday took a new twist as some supporters of incumbent governor of Edo State, went spiritual, placing curses on persons perceived to be ‘tormenting’ the governor in his re-election bid at the State Assembly Complex.
The supporters who are mainly priestesses of traditional worship centres across Benin Kingdom on Friday morning stormed the state House of Assembly which has been embroiled with impeachment saga.
Addressing the protesting women, the priestess of Ekutetebite Negwogho group, Princess lnibokun lmasemwenbor, said she inherited her symbol of authority as juju priestess from her grandfather and whatever she pronounced on anyone will be so.
“I was at home when I saw on television the crisis at the Edo Assembly. I heard some of the things said that some people from other ethnic groups are trying to turn Benin upside down. We Benin people don’t like what they are doing.
“APC is oppressing Obaseki, that is mere oppression, they want to oppress our Obaseki.
“Why I am interested in the matter is that we did not have access road to my community before Obaseki became Governor. We used to spend so much to come to Benin. But now, we can travel in and out of our community with ease, no more erosion.
“For that reason, I must support Obaseki for a second term. Whoever says he will turn the state upside down to rig the election, let the heads of our ancestors torment them.
“Obaseki is a peace maker, he gave us amenities of life and for that reason, I have to back him up with my strength.”
Princess lmasemwenbor, however predicted that Obaseki will be re-elected Governor again for another four years.
“Nobody will grab it from him and whoever says he will turn the state upside down to subvert the wishes of the people, help us tell such people that the head of our ancestors will torment them, all the deities of Benin kingdom should torment them,” the governor’s supporter prayed.
Meanwhile, in a bid to forestall impeachment moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and following the reported invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly, the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, was said to have ordered the immediate renovation of the House of Assembly complex.
Recalls security agencies, believed to be drafted from Abuja had on Thursday stormed the Edo Assembly complex to provide security cover to 17 lawmakers loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The moves was to allow fresh inauguration of the APC loyalists, and the impeachment of the Speaker, Frank Okiye; the Governor and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, but was however foiled when Obaseki and Shaibu’s supporters stormed the complex.
It was gathered that trucks and tippers from the Government House reportedly heaped sand and other construction materials at the front of the Assembly gate.
The roof of the assembly complex was also removed following the order of the governor, a move sources said was tailored to foil the forceful takeover of the assembly by the dissident lawmakers on Friday.
The move, according to sources was to prevent the APC and the Abuja forces from forcefully taking over the Assembly.
Recall that Edo State lawmakers loyal to Obaseki had been sitting inside the Edo State Government House for over a month, with the claim that the Assembly complex at ring road was being fumigated over Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) scare.
However, on Thursday morning, there was heavy security presence at the Edo State House of Assembly, ring road, on account that 17 lawmakers loyal to the APC and Pastor Ize-Iyamu were set to forcefully takeover the assembly complex.
The development is coming a day after the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yekini Idiaye was impeached reportedly by 7 lawmakers loyal to the State Governor for pledging loyalty to the APC and Ize-Iyamu.
The crisis in the Edo Assembly began when the Assembly was inaugurated under controversial circumstances at night by the Governor with only nine out of 24 lawmakers-elect on June 17 in attendance.
Until the recent defection of about seven lawmakers to the PDP, all the 24 lawmakers were members of the APC.
