The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday called the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, to immediately stop the invasion and attempt to forceful take over the Edo state House of Assembly by security operatives “illegally deployed from Abuja by the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
The party said the “illegal occupation” of the state legislature by security agents allegedly deployed by sacked national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was a direct coup against the democratic order of Edo state and a recipe for anarchy, chaos and bloodletting.
Addressing a press conference Thursday, Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of PDP, urged the Inspector General of Police to act with dispatch to curb this nefarious situation, which had heightened tension in the state, addibg that if not halted, it may result in a bloody clash as the citizens are already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forceful takeover.
The PDP urged the Police hierarchy to note that the provocative and lawless act by the APC was part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with a view to unleashing violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies.
He said, “We condemn this notorious resort to self help by the APC and their agents to forcefully takeover power in Edo state through the back door.
“Our party has been informed that the plot is to use the illegal security operation to seize the processes of the House of Assembly and illegally inaugurate certain individuals whose seats had been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down democratic structure in the state”, the spokesman of PDP stated.
He said that the PDP had also been made aware of alleged plots by Oshiomhole, working in alliance with the impeached Deputy Speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, to import a fake mace, cause anarchy and then push for the imposition of a state of emergency in the state, seeing that they cannot win the forthcoming governorship election.
Accordingly, he said, “Our party therefore charges the IG to wade in and immediately withdraw the illegally deployed security officers and protect democracy and peace in Edo state.
“Our nation cannot afford to have a breakdown of law and order in Edo state at this critical time as such is capable of having a spiral effect on other states in the Niger Delta region, which will further result in dire consequences to our nation.
“We therefore restate our call to President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in Adams Oshiomhole before he triggers a serious crisis in this country”.
Also, the PDP spokesperson alleged that the plot was to instigate crisis and bring in a fake mace to enable the impeachment of Governor Godwin Obaseki.