Secretariat tussle: Edo sliding into anarchy, says PDP

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday criticised the All Progressives Congress for claiming it had reclaimed its get together secretariat from the PDP, asserting that it stays the professional tenant of the constructing.

The PDP described the transfer as an invasion, warning that the way wherein the APC, led by its state chairman, Jaret Tenebe, occupied the constructing is a harmful invitation to anarchy. The get together referred to as on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and urge Governor Monday Okpebholo and the APC to train restraint earlier than the scenario escalates.

Addressing a press convention in Benin on Friday, the Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, accompanied by the get together’s Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, and the Director-Normal of the PDP Governorship Marketing campaign Council for the 21 September 2024 election, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, decried the growing local weather of terror within the state.

Aziegbemi, who said that he was current on the secretariat when the APC invaded at about 1:31 p.m. on Thursday, mentioned he instantly contacted the Divisional Police Officer at Aideyan Police Station.

Nonetheless, the DPO arrived at 2:42 pm, regardless of the station being lower than 5 minutes away.

The PDP chairman emphasised that the constructing housing the secretariat belongs to a personal particular person and questioned why the APC chairman didn’t contact the owner if it certainly held a sound tenancy settlement for the property.

Describing the incident as “govt recklessness and a precursor to anarchy,” Aziegbemi accused the APC in Edo State of perpetuating “brigandage, illegality, and violent assaults on democracy.” He warned that if these actions proceed unchecked, they might result in widespread chaos within the state.

“At 1:31 pm on Thursday, 16 January 2025, the APC, utilizing a number of Hilux vans and different autos led by Jaret Tenebe, deployed thugs supported by cops from the Authorities Home to forcibly take away the PDP from its secretariat on Airport Street, Benin Metropolis, the Edo State capital,” Aziegbemi mentioned.

“Your complete operation was violent and brutal, lasting greater than an hour. The secretariat was vandalised, banners and supplies destroyed, and lives endangered, together with mine. I used to be forcibly faraway from my workplace with the help of the Speaker of the Edo State Home of Meeting, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, amidst violence and assault.”

He continued, “That is arguably the worst assault on democracy in Nigeria since 1999. Even navy regimes weren’t as brutal in opposition to dissenting voices as Governor Okpebholo’s administration has been since taking workplace on 12 November 2024.

“At the moment’s violent takeover of the PDP secretariat is a part of a broader sample of harassment, intimidation, and extortion by thugs working underneath the safety of the state authorities. The identical techniques have been used to oust elected council chairmen and vice-chairmen, in addition to to terrorise merchants and transporters in markets and motor parks.”

The PDP referred to as on the Federal Authorities, worldwide companies, civil society organisations, and different stakeholders to intervene and curb the “lawlessness” of the Edo State governor.

Aziegbemi warned, “Edo is on the precipice. Democracy in Edo State is on hearth. The present wind blowing within the state is an ailing wind that can profit nobody.”

In response, the Edo APC State Chairman, Jaret Tenebe, claimed that the property had been rented because the APC secretariat underneath a seven-year tenancy settlement earlier than the rapid previous governor, Godwin Obaseki, transformed it into the PDP secretariat after defecting to the PDP in 2020.