Edo raises the alarm over arrest of PDP leaders

The Edo State Government on Tuesday, raised the alarm over the arrest of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, urging the security agencies to halt the arrest.

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, stated this in a statement on Tuesday.

Nehikhare said the arrest was the handiwork of the All Progressives Congress.

Nehikhare claimed that over 10 PDP leaders, including the Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Collins Aigbogun, were being kept in dungeons on the orders of the APC.

He called on security agencies to halt the arrest of the PDP leaders and supporters in the state ahead of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.

He noted that no amount of intimidation would make the APC win the governorship election.

He said, “Let the APC explain to us where our members and leaders are. Why have they not been charged in court since their arrest? Instead, the APC has been boasting of their plans to attack, intimidate, and harass PDP members and supporters.” Nehikhare demanded.

However, the Media Director, Edo APC Campaign Council, Kazeem Afegbua, exonerated the PDP, noting that the state governor, Godwin Obaseki had earlier revealed his party’s readiness to burn down Nigeria.

Afegbua said, “As usual and based on our earlier promise to avail the public of the nefarious preparations of the Governor Obaseki-led PDP’s readiness to “burn” Nigeria, here is the latest plan by the Edo State Governor following a meeting held yesterday, Sunday, 8 September 2024 at the Government House.

“Take note that those who were complicit in the killing of Inspector Akor Onu were also in attendance and yet to surrender themselves to the Nigeria Police. We understand that one Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sanni Fodio, who is the Head of the State Criminal Investigation Department, is the one shielding these persons, boasting that nobody would touch them.

“ACP Sanni Fodio is working in cahoot with the CSO to Governor Obaseki to orchestrate some of these frustrations. For example, seven of our members and three of PDP members were arrested by Commander 4th Brigade, last week at Inikorogha and handed over to the Police.”

He added, “Before you say Jack Robbinson, those PDP members were freed immediately by the ACP in charge of State CID while APC members were left till Sunday before our legal team intervened.

“The latest plan by Governor Obaseki is to shut down Edo State starting from 15th September, through mass protest, and that other PDP-controlled states would join the protest, with a view to inviting the military to take over the reins of power at the Federal level.

He also informed the meeting that other PDP-controlled states would postpone the resumption dates of schools to orchestrate a nationwide protest that would lead to military take-over.

“He reportedly told them that, he would rather disrupt the country for change of government than to lose Edo state to the opposition APC. He said that was why he decided to postpone the school resumption date and that other PDP-controlled states would follow suit starting this week.”