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By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for making spurious claims and looking for avenues to overturn the will of Edo people.
In a statement, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Osa Nehikhare, said the APC has resorted to a wide goose chase to oust the governor even as they continue to run from pillar to post to undo the will of Edo people.
According to him, “The APC is clearly still reeling from the pains inflicted on them in their disgraceful outing in the last governorship election in Edo State. They are looking for all other avenues to overturn the will of Edo people, who rejected them outrightly at the polls and embraced the Governor and his policies by handing him a landslide victory and a second term mandate.”
Nehikhare said that Col. David Imuse who parades himself as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Edo, is still battling for legitimacy, adding that he is finding it difficult to settle into the rather awkward role of playing the opposition, which the APC has not played in the state for the past 12 years.
“Playing opposition politics requires some tact and intelligence, which Imuse is clearly lacking, as can be seen in the shallow and infantile reasoning in his statement.
“That Imuse and the APC have the guts to raise the issue of insecurity in the puerile statement betrays their ignorance and an apparent worrying condition of selective amnesia.
“It must be noted that the Federal Government under the leadership of the APC is solely responsible and has full control of security across the country, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the army and all others. That Imuse and Edo APC would do an about turn and place the responsibility for security on the laps of Governor Obaseki alone show their mischief and crass ignorance,” he noted.
Perhaps Imuse is not aware of the efforts of Governor Obaseki in arresting the post #ENDSARS security challenges in a state where hundreds of prisoners escaped from two prisons. Maybe he does not know that efforts are ongoing to rebuild burnt police stations in Edo State. Imuse should try to read about Governor Obaseki’s charge to move from conventional policicing to community policing with the 877 police constables that were recently sent forth from the Police Training School.
The PDP scribe continued: “Imuse and the APC need to be reminded that when Edo people on September 19 trooped out to elect the governor and PDP as against the APC, it was an overwhelming endorsement of the governor’s decisions and judgement on social, economic and policy issues, including opting for development financing to execute projects, which the people are clearly comfortable with and affirmed with the outcome of the polls. Imuse alleged that Governor Obaseki secretely obtained a N25 billion loan without the knowledge of the Edo people. This is incorrect. The N25 billion loan Imuse talked about was a developmental loan secured by the state government to develop and revitalize critical infrastructures. The Edo State House of Assembly, which represents the Edo people also approved the loan months ago. To Imuse and his ilk, a loan approved by a state House of Assembly was secretely secured. This is irresponsible and garrulous talk!
“As for the complaint about the situation in Etsako West Local Government Area, the state government is exercising its constitutional right for an appeal and has, along that line, filed for an appeal. It has also filed for a Stay of Execution on that judgement. Therefore, status quo remains and only the court can make a pronouncement on the matter and not the APC.”
He further advised Imuse and the APC to take their time and do some soul searching and also commit resources to studying about the requirements and demands of their new role as the opposition party in Edo State.
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