Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has alarmed that the continuous arrest of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) chieftains by the police ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state is capable of snowballing into unavoidable crisis in Edo.
Obaseki made the assertion in statement he personally signed on Tuesday night and made available to newsmen in Benin.
He alleged that elements within the rank of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are colluding with the Police to hound, attack, kidnap and lock up members PDP in order for them not to participate in the forthcoming election in the state.
The governor expressed worry that in the last few weeks, the Police under the alleged manipulation of the APC, has arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains who the opposition party in the state according to Obaseki perceive would be strong political opposition to the APC in the coming election.
He said that the above position came to a head with the arrest and whisking to Abuja, of the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun.
He said: “On learning of his arrest, I reached out to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, asking that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the State’s jurisdiction.
“This directive was flouted, directly undermining my authority as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the State. We also have it on good authority that a rogue police team has been provided with a longlist of PDP chieftains to be arrested and detained until after the election.
“All petitions and appeals to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have not dissuaded men of the Police from going about with the mandate of intimidating members of the PDP and launching sting operations to capture, kidnap and lock up PDP chieftains across the State”.
Governor Obaseki, therefore demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the PDP chieftains who were said to have been arrested by the Police.
According to the governor, “If these PDP leaders were legally arrested, we demand that they should be charged to courts in Benin City to answer for whatever infractions they are alleged to have committed and not to be subjected to perpetual incarceration, as now obtains.
“It is clear that the APC and its agents are not interested in a peaceful and credible election in Edo State. The conduct and the collusion with federal government institutions to undermine the electoral process spells a clear danger that must be averted.
“It is with a deep sense of concern that I make this statement in the run up to the 2024 governorship election in Edo State scheduled for September 21, 2024.
“In the last few years, we have worked tirelessly to provide stability and engender reforms to spur economic development in Edo State.
“We have improved the security situation in the State and have, through coordinated efforts by the Edo State Security Council, ensured that the State is arguably the most peaceful State in the South-South, resulting in increased inflow of investment”.
Continuing, Obaseki said, “We have deployed technology in checking insecurity, collaborating with community-based security networks, working in close partnership with federal security agencies and leveraging a Security Management Information System through which we track and respond swiftly to security incidents in the State.
” In the last few years, we have recorded lower levels of violent crimes. Our people are therefore happy and committed to sustaining peace to drive the economic progress made so far.
“It is against this backdrop that Edo people seek a peaceful election and seamless transition of government that would not disrupt the tranquillity and stability in the State.
“Unfortunately, what we can see in the build up to the September 21 election, is what looks like a deliberate plan by elements within the ranks of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to prevent a peaceful election and stoke chaos in Edo State”.
Obaseki added, “We have ensured civility, fair play and equity in the electoral campaigns. Everyone has had freehand to campaign and canvass for votes from the electorate without let.
“Conversely, however, there have been persistent and continuous provocative actions sponsored by the opposition APC to stir crisis in Edo State in pursuit of their selfish ends.
“A case in point is the continuous harassment of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Nigerian Police Force. Leaders of the PDP are being hounded and attacked with the ultimate goal of causing chaos and setting the stage to subvert the will of the people.”
While stressing that the alleged posture and stance of the police is a recipe for disaster and crisis that would invariably lead to chaos in Edo if not checked, Governor Obaseki, implored the presidency to call the police and leaders of the APC to order
“I want to implore the presidency to call the police and leaders of the APC to order over the manner in which they have been conducting themselves in the lead up to the election”.
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