Likely War In Edo Over Council  Crises: PDP Youths Dare Okpebholo ‘Enough Is Enough’

Likely War In Edo

OpenLife Nigeria reports that going by the merging signals, there may be out break of political war in Edo State over the growing local government crises.

In what they described as “ongoing harassment, intimidation and humiliation of the chairmen, vice chairmen and the councillors across the 18 local government areas of Edo State,”  the youths of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have issued a stern warning to the government of the state to immediately end the regime of terror and allow peace to reign in the council areas and the state in general.

Addressing the issue  in a viral video on Sunday, Mr Aimiebenomon Ofure Paul, the PDP Youth Leader in Esan South East Local Government Area, warned that enough was enough. He stressed that nobody should take their peaceful disposition for granted as nobody has the monopoly of violence.

Ofure, who said he was speaking with the full authority of the PDP National Youth Leader, the support of the youth leaders of the six geopolitical zones of the country, Edo State Youth Leader and that of Esan youths, condemned the resort to arm twisting tactics by the Monday Okpebholo administration when there are subsisting court rulings about the subject matter.

In a 4 minutes, 31 seconds video, Ofure stated that: “We’re here to air our views about what has been happening to our Edo State local government chairmen and their vice chairmen. We have a governor who is supposed to represent the good people of Edo State, unfortunately, what we have right now is a governor who is chasing, flogging and beating, and making sure that people who were dully voted for are evicted from office.

” This is in spite of court judgments that the chairmen should be left alone. He has gone ahead to demonstrate that he is too powerful and bigger than the rule of law. We condemn this in totality. We say no to it. We as a party, we are a peace loving and law abiding people.

We abhor violence because you don’t win all wars with guns. Dr Asue Ighodalo, our Leader, has a slogan that “You don’t win all wars with guns.” And that is why all of us following Ighodalo have refrained from any violence because he is a man of peace, the former governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, is a man of peace and the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP in the state, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, is a man of peace. All the youth leaders are men of peace.

“But the truth is this: there is an extent  to which we can take these insults. You cannot continue to flog our people as if there is nobody to protect or defend them. We are begging, enough is enough,” he stated.

He urged all listeners to ensure that the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command get to see the video. He recalled that before and during the election in September last year, members of the PDP were indiscriminately arrested in the state and now chairmen and councillors are being harassed and induced with money.

Ofure urged the governor and his party to wait till the time of election to vote out the chairmen if they can.

Ofure said it was a shame that Okpebholo, an Esan man will recruit people from Benin and Edo North to come and flog his Esan brothers and sister when he is aware that Ighodalo is also an Esan man.

Addressing APC youths in the state, Ofure mocked them, saying they are seen by their leaders as only good enough as thugs and not as commissioners.

“And again, the youths carrying out this shameful act, what is your age? And how old is Cyril Oshiomhole who is the Commissioner for Health? He is not carrying a gun or horse whip. He is carrying a pen. Today as a youth, were you taken as one of the commissioners, no!

“They gave you guns and horse whips to go and kill. But they are putting their children in positions. Oshiomhole is a sitting senator,  his son is a Commissioner. Youths of APC please think of your life and think of your children. Think of your future.

“You don’t steal mandates, you don’t force yourself on the people. This is a democracy. We are people of peace, please stop harassing and intimidating our people,” he stated.