As different sources continue to offer their perspectives on the violent fracas between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which happened around the only entry point into the Palace of the highly revered Oba of Benin, Oba Ewaure II Ogidigan, the true narrative is becoming clearer.
While addressing the media on Sunday, the PDP National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih, has confirmed that the public, the Palace and the security agencies were all duly informed of the visit of the high-powered party delegation to the Oba of Benin, to pay homage and seek prayers from the Royal father. In contrast, there was not an inkling of information in the public domain of the APC having a public gathering of any sorts anywhere in the metropolis, slated for the same day.
In his carefully worded press statement, Orbih stated, “The invasion of the Palace Gate by armed APC Youths was a well-coordinated assault by the leadership and sponsors of Edo APC to eliminate the National leadership of the PDP and all democratically elected governors of PDP that were expected to be with the Governor.”
Raising an alarm to the public and the various security agencies, the PDP National Vice-Chairman said; “The APC’s organised attack at the Palace, in our view is a political mutiny, against constituted authority, capable of causing interstate conflict and war between Edo State and the affected states of the governors that were marked for elimination.” He continued, “The security agencies must swing into action to bring all those connected with the incident to book.”
The Edo State Governor, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, has already called for calm, and appealed to his supporters not to retaliate so that Edo State would remain peaceful.
