PDP Charges IGP to Stop Forceful Takeover of Edo Assembly
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday charged the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, to immediately stop the invasion and attempt to forceful takeover the Edo state House of Assembly by security operatives it claimed to have been illegally deployed from Abuja by the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This is as the party insists that the invasion and illegal occupation of the state legislature by security agents allegedly deployed “by the former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is a direct coup against the democratic order of Edo state and a recipe for anarchy, chaos, and bloodletting.”
Addressing a press conference yesterday, spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan urged the Inspector General to act with dispatch to curb this nefarious situation, “which has heightened tension in the state, and if not halted, may results in a bloody clash as the citizens are already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forceful takeover.”
He said: “The Police hierarchy is urged to note that this provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with the view to unleashing violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies. “We condemn this notorious resort to self-help by the APC and their agents to forcefully takeover power in Edo state through the back door
“Our party has been informed that the plot is to use the illegal security operation to seize the processes of the House of Assembly and illegally inaugurate certain individuals whose seats have been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down a democratic structure in the state.
“The PDP has also been made aware of grand plots by Oshiomhole, working in alliance with the impeached Deputy Speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, to import a fake mace, cause anarchy and then push for the imposition of a state of emergency in the state, seeing that they cannot win the forthcoming governorship election.
“Our party, therefore, charges the IG to wade in and immediately withdraw the illegally deployed security officers and protect democracy and peace in Edo state.
“Our nation cannot afford to have a breakdown of law and order in Edo state at this critical time as such is capable of having a spiral effect on other states in the Niger Delta region, which will further result in dire consequences to our nation.” The party further called on President Muhammadu Buhari to “rein in Adams Oshiomhole before he triggers a serious crisis in this country.”
Ayooluwa Joshua