- Edo Now Safe Haven For Kidnappers, Others — PDP
- Stop Fabricating Lies To Scare Investors Away — Edo Govt
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The state of security in Edo State has led to a war of words between the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the reigning government in the State
The Edo chapter of the PDP fired the first salvo when it alleged that Monday Okpebholo-led government is only interested in serving its godfather while kidnapping and other crimes reign supreme under his watch.
The allegation is contained in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the Edo, PDP Caretaker Committee,Chris Nehikhare, on Monday
According to the statement, Nehikhare said the state is now a safe haven for kidnappers and other criminal gangs.
“Edo State is in chaos, the people are under siege, and the Chief Security Officer of the State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, appears confused and completely incapable of managing the escalating insecurity”.
He said despite receiving N750 million monthly in security votes, residents live in constant fear and instead of utilizing these funds to tackle the worsening security crisis, he continues to squander them on godfathers, thugs, extravagance and needless jamborees.
“We want to remind Senator Okpebholo that his first responsibility, no matter how bereft of integrity his mandate is, is to protect the lives and property of Edo people, and on this, he has woefully failed.
However, in a response to the allegations on Tuesday, Governor Monday Okpebholo through his spokesperson, Fred Itua, said the PDP’s outcry is designed to mislead Edo people, scare off potential investors, and distract them from the undeniable security progress being made under his administration.
“Edo State is not, and will never be, the so-called “capital of kidnapping and violent crimes as Nehikhare maliciously claims.
” This is a dishonest fabrication from a party whose time in power was marked by gross incompetence, abject failure, and outright surrender to criminals.”
He alleged that there was
collapse of security under the Obaseki-led PDP government which reached its zenith when “the Chairman of the party in Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, was brazenly kidnapped in the heart of the city—GRA, Benin”.
While calling on the PDP members to “bury their heads in shame for trying to mislead the public and scare investors away”, he said Edo state under governor Okpebholo is ” on the path to security and progress”
“No amount of politically motivated falsehoods from a failed PDP propaganda machine can erase the progress being made by governor Okpebholo,” he said.
