…urges FG, security agencies to take note
A former Commissioner for Information in Edo State, Prince Kassim Afegbua, on Wednesday, raised the alarm that Governor Godwin Obaseki has allegedly been arming thugs under the guise of the Edo State Security Network and Public Works Volunteer for the purpose of rigging the November governorship election in the state.
Afegbua, who is also the Director of Media of the Edo APC Campaign Organisation, made this allegation in a statement made available to Daily Newshub.
According to the statement, Governor Obaseki’s alleged recent threat to burn down the country, if he’s further provoked, should be taken seriously by the Federal Government and the security agencies.
The APC Campaign Organisation media Director further alleged that the Edo State Governor recently distributed pump action rifles to each of the local government area chairmen in the state for the purpose of handing over same to political thugs during the governorship election in the state.
The statement also condemned the recent action of Obaseki’s “ousted” deputy, who was allegedly seen in Akoko-Edo last weekend going about with some armed policemen and soldiers shooting sporadically to intimidate people.
It wondered why military authorities should allow such “abuse of process, especially when the Federal High Court has reinstated the authentic Deputy Governor.”
It therefore accused Obaseki of attempting to create fear in the minds of the people, noting, “But we have since crossed that rubicon.”
The full text of Afegbua’s statement reads as follows:
PRESS STATEMENT.
OBASEKI HAS THREATENED TO BURN DOWN NIGERIA: SPEAKING WITHOUT THINKING.
By Kassim Afegbua.
He roared and growled like a wounded lion; perhaps because his hyenas, tigers, leopards, and rottweilers could not hit Senator Okpebholo with their pointed arrows. They only succeeded in killing an innocent officer of the law, Inspector Onu Akor, with their poisoned bullets. Now, Governor Obaseki, unable to offer condolences, and without decrying the incident went berserk with lyrical threats, waxing hostility and threatening the nation with his readiness to burn down the country. We know he is not being flippant and his statement is indeed allegorical. We want the Federal Government to take note, ditto for all citizens of Nigeria. A dictator has gone on rampage. We are aware of the game plan, as we keep vigil on his hyenas and tigers, we also monitor his meetings and directives, as he dishes them out like hot rice from the oven. We assure him most certainly that irrespective of his threat to Edo citizens and the Federal Government, he can’t do anything cataclysmic.
We are aware that he allegedly distributed pump action guns to each Local Government Chairman, to be re-distributed to all his thugs and hyenas, ready to kill Edo people. What he thinks is in secret, is all exposed to us. Why will a Governor allegedly buy pump-action guns for thugs and criminals in the name of Edo State Security Network, to threaten and intimidate people in the name of politics? Imagine, an executive Governor of our dear state, threatening that he would burn down Nigeria if anybody provokes him. How does that sound to his own ears? Does anybody need to look any further to connect the dots about the source of Thursday’s internecine attack on hapless citizens? His ousted deputy governor was seen in Akoko-Edo on Saturday and Sunday, going around with Police and Soldiers, shooting sporadically to scare the people. Why must the military authority allow such abuse of process, especially when the Federal High Court has reinstated the authentic Deputy Governor? Governor Obaseki wants to create fear in our hearts, but we have since crossed that rubicon.
Only a dictator and totalitarian with traits of a thug, can recruit and nurture such mindset. If there is anybody planning to rig the election, it is Governor Obaseki. He’s been arming his thugs with guns, under the pretext of Edo State Security Network and Public Works Volunteers; we know his plans. They don’t operate from another planet. He plans to use intimidation and brutality, which won’t work. Governor Obaseki’s intimidation can’t fly. His words and action are diminutive of his person in our eyes. He and his, will definitely exit Osadebe Avenue on November 11th whether he likes it or not; never to come back!!! That is a date that is as constant as the Northern star. Those who preach violence don’t live to enjoy it. If only they knew that nobody, no matter how powerful, has a monopoly of violence. We will not use violence to engage Obaseki’s preparedness for violence. The election will be won by the APC, and heaven will not fall. The electorates will speak. Period!!.
The coming election will not be like when he conducted the Local Government election in the state in 2022. It was not only marred by irregularities, it magically wound up that, those whom he declared as winners were actually the losers, while the losers were declared the winners: while APC candidates were jubilating in their Local Governments having won the election, Governor Obaseki invited the losers to Government House, Benin City, gave them certificates of return and inaugurated them immediately. We of the APC didn’t provoke any violence. So, in the event that the 2024 September 21 Gubernatorial election follows that pattern in favour of APC, we will celebrate, with pomp and ceremony; and OBASEKI will not be able to supplant our winner; nothing absolutely nothing, will happen. The Governor and his “boys” DO NOT beleaguer us; not at all. The coming governorship election will be properly conducted, and we know that the APC and Senator Monday Okpebholo, will be declared winner by the INEC.
PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA
DIRECTOR OF MEDIA,
EDO APC CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION.
