PDP Demands Apologies From APC, Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu, Others Over Clash At Oba Of Benin’s Palace

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election (PDPNCCEGE) has accused the ex-National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole as well as the APC governorship candidate in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of bringing “thugs to attack guests and desecrate the palace of the highly revered Oba of Benin, last Saturday”.

The PDP campaign council further demanded an unreserved apology to the Edo traditional institution.

The party maintained that findings from its investigations, including hard evidence contained in the video of the attack posted by agents of the APC, clearly showed that the assault was coordinated by the ruling party and its leaders in Edo state “to embarrass the traditional council and create a situation of chaos in the state with the view to derail the electoral process”.

The PDP stated this in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Monday.

The statement partly read: “Our National Campaign Council is also appalled by the display of arrogance and lack of remorse by Oshiomhole and the APC candidate – Ize-Iyamu, since the inexcusable brazen contempt and desecration of the Edo traditional institution and the sensibility of the people of Edo state in general.

“We however appreciate some remorseful APC leaders who had reached out to our National Campaign Council to express their personal regrets over the matter.

“Nevertheless, we hold that the apologies should also openly go to the Edo traditional council and the people of Edo state in general.

“Nigerians are still in a state of shock that the APC leaders in Edo, in their desperation, could go to the extent of bringing thugs to the Oba of Benin palace to attack PDP entourage, which included state governors, and in the process brought unbridle violence against innocent citizens, as seen in the video posted by their agents.

“Moreover, the Sunday’s press statement by the National Working Committee of the APC, wherein it attempted to divert public attention from the culpability of its arrogant leaders in Edo state, is a clear confirmation that the APC’s attack at the Palace had the official backing of its national leadership of the APC.

“It is also instructive to note that the APC, its sacked national chairman as well as its governorship candidate, Ize-Iyamu, have always shown open disparagement and disrespect for traditional institution in Edo state.

“Nigerians can recall how Adams Oshiomhole and other APC leaders shunned the peace meeting called by the most venerated Oba of Benin early this year.

“The Saturday’s attack at the Oba Palace by APC thugs as well as the failure by APC leaders to apologize, even after their involvement was exposed in the last Saturday’s Attack is therefore in furtherance of APC total disregard for the traditional institution in Edo state.

“Being out of job, following his disgraceful removal in the APC and sack as national chairman of that party; in addition to fears of prosecution for alleged stealing of billions of naira belonging to Edo state while he was governor, Adams Oshiomhole is desperate to foist Ize-Iyamu, the same individual he exposed as a treasury looter, as governor just to have unfettered access to the state treasury as well as shield himself from prosecution.

“Our National Campaign has already been made aware of plots by the APC to suppress the people of Edo state by using certain group of thugs, who were seen on video being contracted by Ize-Iyamu, to orchestrate pockets of violent attacks in various parts of the state so as to scare the people, create an impression of security breakdown and pave way to truncate the wish of the people of Edo State.

“Already, the APC plot against the people of Edo has been exposed by their attack at the Oba Palace and the barefaced desecration of the values, which the people of Edo state hold in the highest esteem.

“While we understand that Oshiomhole and the APC candidate, Ize-Iyamu, are distraught because of their rejection by the Edo people, resorting to acts of violence just to embarrass the state and derail the election has worsened their case.

“Being exposed, what Nigerians expected from Ize-Iyamu, as a governorship candidate, was to immediately apologize to the Edo traditional institution and the entire Edo people, but no!

“Instead, the seething haughtiness, blackmail, falsehood, lies and arrogance of the APC are being ruthlessly unleashed on the people of Edo State.”