NEED TO PREVENT AVOIDABLE CRISIS IN THE COMING EDO STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION:
A REJOINDER...
By: Samson R. Osagie, PhD.
I read like many people do, Governor Obaseki’s statement on the need to prevent avoidable crisis in the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo State on September 21,2024.
This rejoinder has become necessary in order to show to the world that the greatest threat to peace and security in Edo State particularly in this period leading to the election is the Governor himself.
In the said statement Governor Obaseki laboriously emphasized his administration’s efforts at curbing crimes in Edo State and claimed, albeit falsely, that Edo state has become the most peaceful state in the South South region of the country. How come the spate of killings, kidnappings and violence have remained on the upward trajectory in the state particularly in recent months.
It is interesting how Governor Obaseki is attempting to play the victim in a crisis and crime infested Edo State under his watch since he assumed the reins of power in 2016.
I am quite sure that the journey to make Edo unsafe and governed by his whims and caprices started in the early days of his administration when on June 17th, 2019 he masterminded the invasion and beating up of the newly elected members of the Edo State House of Assembly at former Excalibur Hotel(now Golden Tulip) for daring to assert their independence in the choice of who will be their Speaker in the Seventh Session of the Edo State House of Assembly(2019-2024). As at then, Governor Obaseki was comfortable with inflicting bodily injuries on elected members by persons who were acolytes of his government and there was no threat to the peace and security of Edo State because the avoidable violence was at his government’s behest.
On the 19th of June, 2019, Governor Obaseki who was already eight months in office as governor of Edo State masterminded, in a manner that is unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria’s democracy, the inauguration (at past nine pm in the night)of the same seventh session of the Edo State House of Assembly with nine out of twenty four members against the clear provisions of Sections 90 and 91 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended). He was to run the unexpired residue of his first tenure without a validly constituted legislature thereby undermining the rule of law and democracy in Nigeria. Was that a way of promoting peace and security?
Governor Obaseki’s gross abuse of power and flagrant violations of the rule of law are exemplified in a number of court orders he violated while embarking on demolition of properties of citizens of the state. Chief Osamede Adun, Tony Kabaka Adun, Dr Pius Odubu, Professor Julius Ihonvbere and others too numerous to mention were some of the victims of his despotic acts of authoritarian rule. These demolitions were neither done for overall public interest as required by law nor were compensation paid to the victims or owners. It is even needless to talk about the seizure of large expanse of land where Edo indigenes in diaspora invested huge resources in the Iyekogba axis of Benin City.
How can such blatant abuse promote peace in any society?
In the build up to 2020 elections, Edo State suffered the worst degree of violence actively contrived and executed by agents of the state government which Governor Obaseki is leading. Have we forgotten how his government masterminded the attack on Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the then National Chairman of the All Progressives and subsequently barricaded Okorotun Street where Comrade Oshiomhole’s residence is located? Have we forgotten how the Obaseki led government attacked the Law office of Hon Henry Idahagbon on Siluko road for leading opposition group, the Edo People’s Movement, a pressure group within the APC which rose up in opposition to his government? Have we forgotten how bombs were planted in the residences of Chief Lawrence Okah and Chief Francis Inegbeniki in this state ?
Have we forgotten how Pastor Ize-Iyamu was denied the use of a private property on Ekenwan road in December 2019 for his formal declaration to the APC and how his supporters were beaten blue black by thugs recruited by the state government?
In parts of the state, from Owan to Abudu, Ologbo to Agenebode, Ilushi to Okada and all other places, the Obaseki government have deliberately deployed his state sponsored non state actors in various guises to unleash mayhem on perceived political opponents.
Who does not know this fact?
Fast forward to the impending September 21st 2024 governorship elections, the unrelenting political desperation of the Obaseki led government to intimidate and hound political opponents came to the fore when he mobilized his puppet Legislature to impeach his Deputy Hon Phillip Shuaibu in a manner the court has described as lacking in compliance with the constitution, yet Governor Obaseki in flagrant contempt of the court and gross violation of the rule of law has continued to parade a surrogate and an impostor as the State’s Deputy Governor.
Is this how to promote democracy or undermine democracy?
Governor Obaseki turned a blind eye to the killing of a police orderly attached to the APC Gubernatorial candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo at the Benin airport on July 18, this year by elements within his state created and now suspended Edo State Security Network, up until now the Governor has shown no empathy for the loss of the life of the officer or pay condolence visit to his family, yet upon the arrest of his gun wielding goons he threatened that Nigeria will burn if his people are arrested.
What a way to be a Chief Security Officer of a sub national government in Nigeria!
His party chairman went ahead to accuse the Inspector General of Police of partisanship for effecting arrests of persons suspected to be responsible for the killing of the police officer.
What a mindless political party?
Then, recently a local government chairman in Edo central was personally involved in unleashing mayhem on a gathering of APC supporters in Ekpoma and upon his arrest Governor Obaseki has gone to town to tell the whole world that his arrest is a threat to democracy! Haba! Meanwhile, as Governor and supposed Chief Security Officer of the state he has not shown no interest in the survival of the victims of the dastardly and barbaric actions of his party men lead by the Council Chairman.
From all indications, contrary to Governor Obaseki’s claims that he has secured Edo State, he has been largely responsible for the unbearable state of insecurity in the State. His reign in the state has unleashed terror of unimaginable proportions on the citizens and fear for the faint hearted. He care less when his men unleash violence and is quick to respond when the police force exercise their authority to protect the citizens against the state sponsored terrorism.
When Governor seeks to hoodwink the unsuspecting members of the public into believing that it is the APC in the state that is responsible for the state of insecurity and violence ahead of the elections in Edo State, he seems to think that we have all lost our collective consciousness and memories about the litany of violence that his administration has perpetuated since took over the reins of power eight years ago.
No never! Edo people knows that the administration of Governor Obaseki supports violence, protects his commanders in the various state security outfits(known and unknown) and even house them in Government houses and buildings to shield them from police arrests, investigations and prosecution. We all know and Edo people are aware.
To demonstrate Governor Obaseki’s insensitivity and intolerance, in his recent statement and indeed in other public utterances he has had to make on the spate of violence ahead of Edo elections, he has never shown empathy to the victims of those dastardly acts and that is simply because his party members are not victims of the needless spate of attacks on other parties campaigns.
What is clear to all and sundry is that , for Governor Obaseki, like Machiavellian, the end justifies the means and so long as he wins this elections, it doesn’t matter who is dead or alive.
And God forbid, neither him nor his party will succeed in this enterprise of seeking to enslave Edo people and hound them in a gestapo manner into a State of political subjugation and economic exploitation which has been the bane of this administration since inception.
In the final analysis Governor Obaseki’s demand for the release of his party members arrested in connection with the various violent acts during this period of electioneering is evident of his lack of interest in securing the needed peace and security for the forthcoming elections and it is gratifying to know that the security forces particularly the Police are beginning to see through the Governor’s lip service to securing Edo State before, during and after elections.
Edo is greater than Governor Godwin Obaseki and his team of oppressors and economic parasites and hopefully its citizens will part ways with his eight years of ignoble rule on September 21,2024.
Dr. Samson Osagie is a Lawyer, Ex-House of Representatives Minority Whip and a Public Affairs Analyst. He is the Director of Contacts of the Edo APC Gubernatorial Campaign Council.