…Says APC Creating Crisis to Postpone Election.
By: Lucky Isibor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that two persons have been arrested by the police in connection with the attack on its members on Thursday last week in Agbede, Etsako West Local Government Area.
The spokesman of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare disclosed this at a news briefing in Benin City on Sunday on the series of attack on members of the PDP. He noted that the attack was allegedly orchestrated by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to give a false sense of insecurity to call for postponement of the election adding that those arrested have confessed they were sent by the party.
Nehikhare further disclosed that another shooting in Ekpe, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, was also carried out by masked APC thugs.
“Not sooner than they finish from Agbede, they also went to ward 3, Ekpe in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where our people also gathered. They broke in, and this time, most of them were masked. Actually, it was the last vehicle in the convoy of the APC candidate that they jumped down from and started shooting,” he said.
Nehikhare continues on Agbede, “In Agbade on Thursday, which happens to be the community of the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, our people in one of the residence of our leaders, were attacked viciously alongside our leader right in his compound.
“Eleven armed men broke in and started shooting sporadically into this place, destroying vehicles and wounding about 10 people that were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
“I want to also report that the DPO in that neighborhood has confirmed that at least two persons have been arrested as regards the incident.
“And you notice during the week, we did not make noise about it; we did not run to the press to start writing frivolous accusations against APC.
“We let the police do the investigation; we let the police do their work, and the report they gave back to us was that, at least two persons have been arrested and they have made confessional statement that they were sent by the APC leadership to cause mayhem.”
“Not sooner than they finish from Agbede, they also went to ward 3, Ekpe in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where our people also gathered. They broke in, and this time, most of them were masked. Actually, it was the last vehicle in the convoy of the APC candidate that they jumped down from and started shooting,” he said.
The Publicity Secretary further accused the APC of using tactics of violence and mayhem to make sure the election is postponed, adding that his party wants the election to hold.
However, in a shift reaction, Chairman, APC Media Campaign Council in the state, Mr. John Makayi refuted the allegations, alleging that Governor Obaseki has been shielding his aides from investigation after they were allegedly mentioned by some arrested suspects as their direct contact in the State Government by securing a court order precluding them from arrest and prosecution.
