Edo youths foil Oshiomhole’s rally, disperse artistes

Published by

5 years ago

Hundreds of Edo youths on Friday foiled the rally organised by some factional members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) spearheaded by its national chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, to welcome a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, and his loyalists to the party.

The youths turned back and dispersed artistes and musicians contracted to perform at the rally, including the few supporters of the APC national chairman.

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had on Thursday ordered the suspension of the rally, citing “overriding internal security interests.”

The suspension of the rally which was contained in a letter addressed to the Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, and signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, ACP Idowu Owohunwa, came few hours after the threat from Edo Youth Vanguard and thousands of youths loyal to the APC in the state protested against the planned mega rally.

It was gathered that the state police command positioned its officers in strategic places around Benin City, including the proposed venue of the rally at Garrick Memorial College, Ekenwan Road.

A source said, “The youths mobilized themselves as early as 6 am and ensured that the directive of the IGP was not flouted in anyway.

ALSO READ: Oyetola disburses over N2b to indigent citizens

“The Outside Broadcast Van of some television stations that were scheduled to transmit the rally live were left stranded.

“Even the youths had to disperse the crowd that gathered under the erected white canopies and the artistes who were brought from outside the state had to leave disappointed.

“It was all a big flop and nobody will turn up for them if they ever call for another rally.”

The source noted that with the uncertainty and apprehension, few supporters of Oshiomhole took to the residence of Ize-Iyamu in Benin, while the PDP governorship candidate in 2014 briefly addressed the left-over crowd and symbolically defected to the APC in his compound and dispersed them.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that police kept surveillance on Oshiomhole in his residence all through Friday morning to ensure that the IGP’s directive was not flouted.