Stop Invasion of Edo Assembly Now, PDP Charges IGP

…Says Action Is Recipe for Anarchy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu to immediately stop the invasion and attempt to forceful takeover the Edo State House of Assembly by security operatives “illegally deployed from Abuja by the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

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Armed policemen had earlier on Thursday taken over the premises of the Assembly.

There were speculations that elected house members who are in the All Progressive Congress (APC) loyal to the former national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, perfected plans to sit at the Assembly Complex, which is currently under renovation.

It is widely speculated that these elected lawmakers, who have not been sworn in, are making preparations for their inauguration and to elect a new speaker with a view to impeaching Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The latest developments may not be unconnected to the forthcoming Guber election scheduled to hold in September.

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A statement issued by the Spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the invasion and takeover of the complex is a direct ‘coup’ against the democratic order of Edo state and calls it a recipe for anarchy, chaos and bloodletting.

Ologbondiyan also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in Oshiohmole before “he triggers a serious crisis in this country.”

Ologbondiyan said “We urge the Inspector General to act with dispatch to curb this nefarious situation, which has heightened tension in the state, and if not halted, may results in a bloody clash as the citizens are already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forceful takeover.

“The Police hierarchy is urged to note that this provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with the view to unleash violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies.

“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.

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“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 have been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down democratic structure in the state.

“The PDP has also been made aware of grand 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.

“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.”

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