The supremacy battle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist on Thursday as the APC took over the PDP secretariat located at No 59 Airport Road, claiming it had been the owner of the building which was forcefully taken over by former Governor Godwin Obaseki when he defected from the APC to the PDP.
It would be recalled that a few days after the result of the September 21, 2024 governorship election was announced, suspected thugs attacked the building, pulling down its banners and the PDP alleged at that time that they were suspected thugs loyal to the APC.
But the scenario on Thursday was different as officials of the APC, led by its Acting State Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, and other members of the State Working Committee (SWC), marched into the facility and took possession.
Accompanied by armed policemen, the APC members forced everybody out of the premises, including the State Caretaker Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, workers and security guards in the premises.
They also tore the huge PDP banner in front of the building and forced their way into some of the offices including the conference hall where Tenebe and other leaders addressed the press.
Tenebe said the party would immediately change the colours and flags of the secretariat into that of the APC.
The Acting State Chairman of the APC said: “About four years ago, APC made frantic efforts to extend the rent-age of this particular building which has always been the office of the APC. If you search on Google, you will discover that this secretariat still reads ‘APC’s office’. The party in the state approached the national office to arrange so that we will be able to pay for more years for the rent of this facility. The national obliged us and sent us money to renew it for 7 years.
“The governor then, Mr Godwin Obaseki, decamped to PDP and, in a military way, they took us out of this secretariat. Destroyed all our properties, took our vehicles and drove us out of this place.
”At that time, we complained to the Inspector General of Police and he, in his wisdom, agreed that we should take over the secretariat. But because the Commissioner of Police in the state was working hand in hand with the then governor, they refused to allow us access. Then, I was the Deputy Chairman of APC”.
According to Tenebe, he came into office with a commitment to reclaim the state and redress all the wrongs done by the PDP and Obaseki.
The day I became the chairman of the party in the state, I made two promises to our party faithful; to make sure that APC takes over the state and to ensure that all the properties taken from the APC are returned to them”, he said.
“Some few months ago, there was a governorship election in this state and everybody can attest to it that Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged as the governor of the state, fulfilling one of the promises I made to our party faithful.
“Today, I am fulfilling the 2nd promise I made to my party to make sure all the properties taken from APC are returned. That is why we are here today. To take over the secretariat that was forcefully taken from us”.
The Acting State Chairman of the APC said the party will remodel the building into its official pattern and promised to resist any attempt by any group, or vested interest to displace them from the property, or any of their other properties.
The Deputy Commissioner for Police in charge of Operations in Edo, Ben Abang, accompanied by some senior police officers, was also at the facility to get a first hand brief on the development.
PDP reacts
The PDP, in its response, insisted that its invaded secretariat remained its official secretariat as it holds the tenancy to the property which, it said, belonged to a private individual, describing the action of the APC as criminal trespass and invasion of its secretariat.
Addressing a press conference in Benin-City, Aziegbemi, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, in company of the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare and the Director General of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council for the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election, Matthew Iduoriyenkewen, lamented that terror now reigned in the state.
He said the action was a rape on democracy adding that he was at the secretariat when the invading party came at about 1.31pm on Thursday and that he immediately called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Aideyan Police Station, but the DPO did not arrive at the secretariat until 2.42pm from a distance of less than five minutes drive.
”No doubt, this is arguably the worst attack on democracy in any part of Nigeria since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999. Even military regimes before 1999 were not as violent or brutal against dissenting voices as the Okpebholo-led government since they took over office on November 12, 2024″, the party leader said.
”We state unequivocally that we are the legitimate tenants of the said property. It is the same devious tactics deployed to sack and intimidate duly elected council chairmen and the vice chairmen out of office, using horse whips and other dangerous weapons. It is the same pattern that is deployed in motor parks and markets, where thugs operating under the protection of the state government harass, intimidate, and extort transporters and traders daily without restraint
“We must unequivocally state that Edo is at the precipice. Democracy in Edo State is on fire.
”Worst still, the police and other security agencies in the State who are supposed to put them in check appear to be either complacent or complicit.”
He therefore called “on the Federal Government, international agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to rein in Governor Okpebholo, who has become an unleashed force of lawlessness, and let him know the limits of his power as a governor and put an end to this executive rascality, illegality, brigandage and brazen assault on democracy.
”Again, we warn that the wind currently blowing in Edo State is an ill-wind, which will blow no one no good”, Aziegbemi warned’’.
