BY Haleem Olatunji
Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, says his administration should not be held responsible if anything bad happens to Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state.
In a statement on Monday, Crusoe Osagie, media aide to the governor, said Oshiomhole has repeatedly ignored security protocol on visitation to the state, and that the state government should not be blamed when he faces the consequences of his action.
He said the national chairman visited the state on Saturday, thereby causing “sudden tension in Benin metropolis which resulted in large, unruly crowds gathering in strategic points and military personnel shooting sporadically, thrusting the city into pandemonium”.
Osagie said the state government had no prior notice of Oshiomhole’s visit, and that he ought to have informed the government and other relevant authorities of his visit.
“It is unfortunate that a former Governor who should understand basic security and protocol standards will willfully and repeatedly violate them and cause tension and severe threat to public safety and security,” he said.
“A few months ago, when Comrade Oshiomhole caused tension in the state due to the same behavior, we had reported formally to the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services about the avoidable carnage, destruction of property and severe injuries to many persons as well as general unrest which resulted from Comrade Oshiomhole’s abuse of protocol and his penchant for crisis and violence.
“Apparently, Comrade Oshiomhole has continuously defied all efforts by security agencies across the country, including the Inspector General of Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), among others, to ensure peace, therefore posing severe threat not only to Edo State but the country at large.
“We, however, want to warn that since Oshiomhole has decided to carry on with his character of impunity, disrespect for processes and continuous stirring of crisis and disruption of peace in the state, the Edo State Government would not be responsible when he reaps the consequences of his unruly behavior.”
Osagie asked President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies in the country to “prevail on Comrade Oshiomhole to discontinue these acts of impunity, in the interest of ordinary law-abiding Edo people”.
He said the state government is committed to preserving public safety and order.
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