PDP Has No Place in Edo —Benin High Chief A Benin High Chief and second-in-command among the palace chiefs in Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has no future in Edo State and that the party would fail woefully in the coming 2015 General election and 2016 Governorship election in the state. Chief Edebiri who is the Esogban and Odionwere of Benin Kingdom, a seasoned politician and ally of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, accused the Federal Government of having a hand in the political crisis and security challenge in the state. On his part, Governor Adams Oshiomhole blamed the new wave of politically-motivated violence in the state on some people who decamped from the APC to the PDP, saying it was their way to get noticed and gain relevance in their new party, since they have no new values to add According to the Esogban, who represented the Oba of Benin, Omo n’Oba Erediauwa but chose to speak in his personal capacity as the Esogban and Odionwere of Benin Kingdom, at a Town Hall meeting organized by Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to address pressing security issues in the state, the recent crisis was a reenactment of the saga in the Old Western Region. He asked the PDP to field some of its members who recently decamped from the APC in the coming elections and see how woefully the party would lose. He said: “What we were about to witness in Edo State was a re-enactment of the political scenario in the old Western Region in 1962-1964, whereby the Central Government caused a division in the old Action Group and supported the Minority, late Chief SLA Akintola who was our deputy leader then to fight against Chief Obafemi Awolowo because they wanted to take the Western Region by all means. “That was the type of scenario they wanted to create here but for the wise counsel of the Governor and members of our Legislative Assembly. Now that they have failed, I’m sure they have failed in that endeavour. They still want to do whatever they can to cause problem in Edo State. Incidentally the three suspended people, members of the House of Assembly are from my own area, from Edo South and we in Edo South have not been sleeping over this matter. “Today, I am representing Omo n’Oba n’Edo, Uku Akplopkolo in this assembly, but what I’m saying now is my own personal view as Chief D.U Edebiri, the Esogban and Odionwere of Benin Kingdom. I am concerned with what is happening in Edo State. Under the aegis of the Benin Forum, which I have the fortune to lead as the Chairman at the moment, we’ve interacted with these young men, we’ve called them to several meetings, but it would appear that they are still relying on the promise they have from somewhere. “What I want to make out of this is that, whatever the Commissioner of Police here or the AIG is doing is not their own making, we see the hands of the Federal Government in this matter, we see their finger in this problem. If they were not involved, or if they had not made any promises to these young men, they would not have been so bold and defiant. So we are going to tell you and appeal to you to remain focused and not to be distracted by whatever they are doing. “They cannot take over Edo State Government as they did in Adamawa. It’s impossible. We are the owners of the government. We merely sent you people to go and work for us. As long as we are behind you, nobody can come from anywhere to come and take over the government of this state. Because we voted for you, you did not get there by magic, you did not get there by their methods of rigging election, we are going to stand by you, day and night. “Having exhausted all the legal options, and they are still remaining stubborn, we have a way of dealing with such people. But one assurance I can give you, Mr Governor is that we will pray that in their new place they should sponsor them as candidates, if any of them win his election, don’t greet me anymore. “I hear three of them are aspiring to go to the House of Representative. If it’s the time they do deposits in elections, they will lose their deposit. Up till yesterday, I was still speaking with these boys, but they refused to heed all reasonable advise. “I will thank you for the way you have developed this state. We know how many insults you have got from people who have never won any election. What the TV now refer to as Chief Zebrudaya nad his group. If they want to oppose anybody, say if I want to do it I would have done it better, it is not that Oshiomhole is not doing anything, if you say Oshiomhole is not doing anything come to my street. Come to Akpakpava, come to Ugbowo, come to 5-Junction. If you tell such blatant lies to people, they know you are telling lies. “Mr. Governor, I want to say with all the emphasis at my command and on behalf of the Benin people, that in 2015 we will vote for Oshiomhole. In 2016, we will vote for Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole may not be there physically but we are going to vote for the the candidate he presents to us. Daily Times.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:45:37 +0000
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