Reactions trail Tuesday’s demolition of opposition’s property by Obaseki

The storm of criticism began to gather in Edo State on Wednesday as various groups reacted to the late Tuesday’s demolition of the personal house of the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu and those of the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Julius Ihionvbere and a sports enthusiast, Mr. Mike Itemuagbon, by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Firing the first salvo of condemnation was the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC), in the state, which described the action of the governor as “reprehensive, wanton, unwholesome and sacrilegious” stating that the act amounted to “a subversion of the rule of law”, especially when the matter had been taken to court.

Coming on the heels of Edo APC, another group, the United Owan Forum, a socio-cultural group from the Afemai clan of Ihionvbere, said that Obaseki had abandoned his constitutional responsibilities and had embarked on a political vendetta against those who were in opposition to his second term bid, which the governor eventually won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Edo APC in a statement endorsed by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Azebamwan, said that it recalled that “Governor Obaseki about this same time last year demolished the private property of another APC chieftain, Mr. Tony Kabaka Adun. Unchallenged he has taken a step further, all in a bid to intimidate, suppress, hound, crush and silence his perceived enemies.”

“No doubt, it is part of the governor’s ‘Make Edo State Great Again’ agenda to regularly and wilfully demolish properties belonging to perceived opponents, and dissenting or critical voices in the state, in the bid to foist a siege mentality on the citizenry,” the APC alleged.

“It is on record that Governor Obaseki had earlier this year revoked the Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) of the various properties, but the demolition carried out while the case is in court, is unacceptable because it amounts to a subversion of the rule of law. The proper thing is for the state government to wait for the outcome of the court process but apparently because it knew that it was pursuing an illegal agenda, it demolished the properties.”

“We urge Governor Obaseki to perish the idea of trying to use false claims and propaganda to justify this wicked act, as such cannot hoodwink Edo people from the truth. We also reject this constant invasion of citizen’s privacy and demolition of their properties, as it is not only wicked but cowardly; It is a direct recipe for crisis in our state. We caution against future action in this guise because it is borne out of hatred and political intolerance in furtherance of the larger plot by the PDP and its administration to destroy the fabric that binds Edo people and eventually overheat the polity,” the party cautioned.

Dismissing the reasons advanced by the Edo State Government for the demolitions “as dastardly, baseless, false and incongruous, because they fail to justify the unwarranted invasion, harassment of these innocent citizens who once served the state meritoriously, and demolition of their properties,” the APC added that “Edo people know how that the PDP and its government is unduly hounding, harassing and demolishing properties of citizens for daring to be among compatriots at the forefront of the quest to rescue our state from misrule and strangleholds of a cabal, that does not mean well for the people.”

The party, therefore, reiterated its support for Dr Odubu, Professor Ihonvbere, Mr Tony Kabaka and Mr Mike Itemuagbon, and cautioned “the State Government to henceforth steer clear of the properties belonging to APC members.”

On its part, the United Owan Forum regretted that based on the evidence available to it, “Ihonvbere’s property has a C of O and a building plan that was approved by Obaseki’s government.”

Speaking on behalf of the Forum in Benin on Wednesday, its leader, Mr. Ohis Ahmed, maintained that “Obaseki is on a revenge mission against oppositions in the state and has carried out his earlier threats to demolish properties belonging to APC chieftains in the state”, adding that it was appalling that “this ugly and inhuman act, is taking place at a time when the entire state is bedevilled with unprecedented levels of insecurity kidnapping, banditry and cultism.”

“This clearly shows that the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has left governance for politics of bitterness and witch-hunting. It is shameful and sad that Godwin Obaseki has abandoned his constitutional responsibilities to chase oppositions in the state by destroying their properties. It is clear that he has no regard for the Judiciary, neglecting the fact that the case is before the court and hearings are still being carried out,” the group lamented.

Governor Obaseki had earlier this year revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), of some property in the Benin GRA, especially the ones believed to have been allocated by Oshiomhole to his allies and close associates while he held sway as the governor of the state between 2008 and 2016. The governor called in the bulldozers late Tuesday and had the listed property brought to ruins.

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