With less than two months to the Edo state governorship election, Governor Godwin Obaseki has threatened that there will be breach of peace across Nigeria should there be a repeat of the recent attack in Benin City, that led to the death of a police officer, Inspector Akor Onuh.
The convoy of Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and that of All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, were brazenly attacked by armed thugs, as they exited the Benin Airport gate, last Thursday.
However, in a 41-second video that surfaced online on Sunday, Governor Obaseki was seen speaking at a gathering of PDP faithfuls, assuring them of his unflinching support in the wake of the attack.
"We just kept quiet last Thursday; and if they try what they tried last Thursday again, Nigeria will burn... and I mean it;
"You don't behave like that. We've passed that stage. We're not animals... The first time we kept quiet, and I told all of you that you are the ones that have something to lose does not mean they should take us for granted... .Those people who did it, they refuse to arrest them, rather they want to come and arrest our boys. Let them try", Obaseki spoke in the short video.
This is coming barely a month after the deputy director-general (Media) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governorship campaign organisation, Olu Martins, in a viral video threatened to deal with political opponents of the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
"If some people leave the party, it will also create space for others. The ones we can beg to stay, we will beg to stay. The ones that did not stay, when we meet, we will beat them. I am sorry, I am a pastor.
“I asked them how Olumide Akpata campaign billboard got to be hoisted at Ring Road. Can you put the banner of another party in Alausa where Tinubu is?
“There are some things I cannot say here. When I spoke to Olukoga, he looked at me and I said from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom suffers violence and the violence take it by force. Who no know go know, who knows too much time, their father.”, Martins threatened in the viral video released on Friday, June 7, 2024
The state police command reportedly arraigned the PDP spokesman at the state criminal court for the inflammatory statements and was granted bail.
Meanwhile, the State Government has filed a petition to the Inspector General Police over last Thursday incident in the state capital, involving the reinstated deputy governor, who it blamed alongside others for allegedly attempting to execute a Federal High court judgment for which a stay of execution had been filed and an appeal entered.
According to the petition signed by the state Solicitor General, Prof. Faith Osadolor, on behalf of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the state government alleged that Shaibu and his associates acted in contrary to the rule of law, and resorted to self-help, which led to the wanton destruction and death of a police officer within the Benin metropolis.