Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has been accused of deploying thugs and armed individuals throughout various local government areas, who executed coordinated assaults on the council headquarters, resulting in numerous injuries and extensive property damage amounting to millions of naira.
This allegation was made in a statement signed and issued on Thursday, January 2, 2025, by the Edo State PDP chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi.
The councils affected by this violence include Orhionmwon, Uhunmwonde, and Esan West, where the assailants wreaked havoc on both workers and residents in a brazen attempt to take control of the local government offices forcibly.
Many individuals suffered injuries of varying severity, including gunshot wounds, and are presently receiving urgent medical attention at various healthcare facilities in the impacted regions.
“It is profoundly concerning and disheartening that Governor Okpebholo has opted for a strategy of violence and intimidation to achieve his self-serving objectives, disregarding the rulings of all courts in the nation.
“He has resorted to the overt use of thugs and non-state actors to incite chaos and inflict suffering upon the populace of the State.
“Okpebholo has escalated his actions beyond merely obstructing the elected Chairmen and Vice Chairmen from accessing their offices; he has now commanded these groups to attack and terrorize the workers and citizens of the State, facilitating his unlawful takeover of the council headquarters.
This blatant defiance of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the directives of the State Chief Judge, and a High Court injunction prohibiting interference in the Council’s operations is alarming and unacceptable,” the statement reads.
Aziegbemi urged President Tinubu and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police to intervene in the matter before things get out of control.
“We are also aware of the plan to attack five (5) LGAs across the State, on Friday, January 3, 2024 and blame the attack on the PDP.
“This is executive rascality and abuse of power taken too far. It is most condemnable and reprehensible.
“It bears repeating that these unlawful actions are desperate attempts at exterminating our constitutional democracy and we hereby call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, our judiciary, the National Security Adviser, Inspector General of Police and all relevant security authorities to urgently intervene and restore order and the rule of law in Edo State, before events spiral out of control and lead to chaos and anarchy in the State,” the statement obtained by Naija News reads.