The candidate of the Labour Party in the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Dr. Isaiah Osifo, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the sacked national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comr. Adams Oshiomhole and stop the leadership of the party in Edo State from plunging the state into anarchy.
Addressing a press conference in Benin City, following the failed invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on the orders of leaders of the APC, Osifo urged Oshiomhole and his violent conspirators to approach the judiciary for a peaceful resolution if they have a case with the Assembly.
Osifo said Oshiomhole must accept the failure of his leadership and discontinue his ambition of sponsoring violence as a path for the realisation of his desire to convert Edo into his personal property.
Osifo said: “We have come together and united as major stakeholders in the Edo State political system to call on President Buhari and all lovers of peace and democracy in Nigeria to admonish and stop the ambition of APC leadership from plunging Edo State into political violence. The crisis in Edo State is not a case of two political parties fighting; it is a sad situation of the inordinate desire of the former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole to forcefully convert Edo State into his personal property.
“The people of Edo State are all aware of the internal crisis in the Edo State chapter of APC and we know that the APC internal crisis has its root with the refusal of Oshiomhole to accept the fact that no state in Nigeria can have two sitting governors. Oshiomhole’s response to the APC crisis in Edo State was to create two parallel APC secretariats and attempted to create two parallel Edo State legislative arms of government. Adams Oshiomhole should accept the failure of his leadership and discontinue his ambition of sponsoring violence as a path for the realisation of his desire to convert Edo State into his personal property.”
The guber candidate urged: “The president and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the governor and the Chief Security Officer of Edo State, security agencies and all lovers of peace in Nigeria should understand the facts of the political crisis and respond quickly to guaranty and sustain peace and security in Edo State. The recent interview and threat of violence by Oshiomhole against the people of Edo State on ‘Arise TV medium’ is enough ground to call Oshiomhole to order.
“We are aware that some of the issues that are associated with the dispute in the Edo State House of Assembly have been adjudicated by the judicial arm of government and some are pending for judgment. In a democracy, disputes in the political system or between persons are resolved by the Judiciary. If Oshiomhole and his violent conspirators have a case with Edo State House of Assembly, they should approach the Judiciary for a peaceful resolution.”
“We jointly condemn any act that will lead Edo State into violence. Oshiomhole should note that the governorship contest is between him and all the people of Edo State, and all the political parties that are interested in a peaceful, free and fair election,” he added.
