Attack on Obaseki: Group calls on Oshiomhole, police to intervene

 

THE national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the Nigeria Police and other well-meaning stakeholders, have been urged to intervene in the crisis rocking the party in Edo State.

 

The call came from the Francis Inegbeneki Support Group (FISG) sequel to the recent attack on Governor Godwin Obaseki and his entourage at Irrua by some miscreants who allegedly hijacked a peaceful protest by the youth of Esan Senatorial District of the state.

The group condemned the deliberate attempt by some APC leaders and Edo State government officials to link Chief Francis Inegbeneki to the ungodly attack on Governor Obaseki.

President of FISG, Mr. Evans Ilozobhie, in a statement issued on Sunday in Warri, Delta State and made available to Tribune Online, said the plot was to pitch Chief Inegbeneki against the Governor Obaseki to thwart the senatorial ambition of Inegbeneki to represent Edo Central Senatorial district come 2019.

The group urged Comrade Oshiomhole and leaders of the party to go ahead and adopt the Direct Primaries option as enshrined in the party’s constitution for the election of representatives to elective national and state offices.

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It also called on the Nigeria Police to fish out the attackers of Dr Obaseki who might have been hired to ridicule the governor as well as soil the name of Chief Francis Inegbeneki.

The statement read in part: “We condemn in totality the cleverly scripted, but pointless plan by some leaders and their accomplices who do not want the progress of our great party and Esanland.

“We state categorically that Chief Francis Inegbeneki is a law-abiding citizen and a faithful member of our party, the APC.

“We are surprised and disturbed that those who are in the party as spies and cannot give the party the votes are the so-called leaders looking for ways to disrupt our efforts.

“We appeal to our National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State, Dr. Godwin Obaseki, and all well-meaning party stakeholders to, please, use their good offices to intervene in this matter.

“Moreso, we totally condemn the attack on the Governor and his entourage at IRRUA by some miscreants who hijacked the peaceful protest by the Youth of Esan Senatorial District.

“We need popular candidates who can not only win the election for the party but also help in garnering more votes to deliver the Presidential election for the Party.

“We hereby appeal to party members to ensure that our imminent party’s primaries are conducted peacefully without crisis.”