Edo 2020: Onaiwu Demands Ize-Iyamu’s Arrest After Viral Video Of Meeting With ‘Thugs’

Earl Osaro Onaiwu, the founding Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, has called on the police and Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest the Edo governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osagie Ize-Iyamu, over his meeting with alleged thugs ahead of the September 19 poll. 

A video had surfaced online on Friday, in which Ize-Iyamu was seen addressing some alleged thugs in the state. 

The group identified as “the lions ” were said to have been led to the APC governorship candidate by one Tony Kabaka.

VIDEO:

We have to ensure this election remains a contest of ideas, and discourage actions that may lead to violence.

I condemn this meeting between Pastor Ize-Iyamu and Tony Kabaka.

Youths are not tools for electoral violence.@OfficialPDPNig @inecnigeria @PoliceNG @GovernorObaseki pic.twitter.com/ye8mDvgaeC

— Ose Anenih (@ose_anenih) July 25, 2020

Reacting via his Facebook page on Saturday, Onaiwu said Ize-Iyamu’s alleged plan to ‘wreck violence’ in the Edo governorship election had been exposed. 

He said Ize-Iyamu’s instruction to the boys to move from one polling unit to the other during the election clearly violates the electoral act. 

Onaiwu added that the move was aimed at disrupting peaceful conduct of the election. 

He urged the security agencies to move swiftly to save Edo people from the impending bloodshed allegedly being planned by Ize-Iyamu and “his legion of political thugs.” 

Onaiwu urged the law enforcement agencies to note that no political actor has monopoly of violence. 

He further warned that unless Ize-Iyamu’s alleged excesses were curtailed, other political actors may be encouraged to resort to self-help to counter any threat of violence at the poll.