By Gbenga Abulude (The New Diplomat’s Politics and General desk)
Barely 24 hours after the highly respected Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, held a peace meeting with top politicians in Edo state, the Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu has reportedly been seen in a viral video, addressing scores of young men allegedly presumed to be political thugs ahead of the September 19 governorship election.
In the video which went viral on Thursday, Shaibu was seen seemingly talking tough and counseling an army of supporters suspected to be political thugs. The deputy governor purportedly in the video urged them to be at alert and be wise knowing that they have the ruling state government and the entire Edo state cabinet on their side.
The Edo state deputy governor allegedly alluded in the video sighted by The New Diplomat that both parties have their own political thugs and urged the boys to be ready to fight should the APC and their thugs become violent as the days of the election draws nearer.
However, The New Diplomat could not ascertain whether the video was filmed prior to or after the all inclusive stakeholders peace meeting held at the Palace of the very revered Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II. It would be recalled that at the Oba of Benin’s peace meeting on Wednesday had key political actors in the upcoming Edo governorship poll in attendance.
Among those who attended were incumbent State governor, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate, pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, elder-statesman and former governor of Edo state, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, immediate past governor of Edo state, and immediate past national chairman of APC, comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Edo state deputy governor, Comrade Shaibu.
Hours after the peace-meeting, Shaibu, a former House of Representatives member representing Etsako Federal Constituency was seen on video that has gone viral addressing youths in pidgin English.
He was reportedly recorded as saying in the video: “I know that all of us, our bodv dey hot, i dey hear una as I dey video una. I dey hear wetin some dey talk. Make una cool down. See, you are holding the egg. They wan make the egg fall from your hand.
“You take one hand to hold the egg, the other hand is free abi? But them no get anything for their two hands.
“So na sense we go use follow them. If we say as the body they scratch us, make we scratch am. We go spill blood. But that one no mean say make we be fools o.
“Una know me na, (general laughter) I no dey look for fight. When fight come I no dey run.
“But this one, we need to use brain follow them. I know that they are down, not only down, they are out. They want to use this to cause confusion. Because they know, the people have rejected them. So we need to be careful with them, but we are not cowards.
“I have called the CP, I have told him all these guys they need to be arrested. They need to arrest all of them! I cannot guarantee peace!”
Oba Ewuare II, on Wednesday had called on the Edo state deputy governor, Shaibu to call his reported political thugs to order.
Recall that the respected Benin monarch, while calling for peace at the all inclusive stakeholders peace meeting held at his palace in Benin City where both governorship candidates reportedly agreed to a peace pact, had urged Shaibu to speak to his ‘boys’ in a bid to maintain peace.
The Royal Majesty who said he has been having sleepless nights over reports of political violence in Edo state urged political combatants to restrain themselves in order not to make the state a laughing stock.
He urged the politicians to embrace peace and relay the message to their followers across the state. The revered monarch said:”I have noted that Edo State’s politics has been in the news for quite some time for all the wrong reasons. I have been having sleepless nights for some days. We are all from Edo State. We are no strangers.”
“Phillip, they say you are the tough one inside, you must behave. Please. Tell your boys…to cease fire… Enough is enough! I don’t want to hear shooting of guns anymore, enough is enough! Don’t go and kill yourselves because of office…”
The Oba of Benin noted that elections were not a do-or-die affair. He counseled : “Must it be a do-or-die affair? Do not kill yourselves because of public office. Stop the shootings. I am very sad about what is happening in Edo. This is the worst scenario. Let us eschew violence and give peace a chance in our state.
“It is for four years and at most another four years. Why will you [politicians] now want lives to be lost? Why do we hear that you people are arming boys (thugs)? Why?.”
Oba Ewuare II urged both Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu to emulate the action of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 when he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.
After his address, both Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu embraced each other, a gesture that that was interpreted to signal assurances to the Benin monarch of the candidates firm commitment to peace.
It is not however clear if the Edo state deputy governor, Shaibu was, in compliance with the Royal father’s counsel and peace deal protocols, calling his political loyalists to help maintain peace or acting in contrast ahead of the upcoming September 19 governorship poll in the state. It could also not be verified if the video was taken prior to or after the all inclusive stakeholders meeting.
