In Counterclaim, Edo PDP Insists Overrun Secretariat by APC Remains its State Office

Follow

( 0 Followers )

X

Follow

E-mail : *

Follow Unfollow

It’s been claim and counterclaim between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the ownership of the party secretariat at No. 59, Airport Road, Benin City.

While the APC forcefully reclaimed the building on Thursday, bundling the state chairman of the PDP, Tony Aziegbemi out of his office, the embattled party on Friday in a statement, and later at a press conference, insisted that the building remained its official secretariat as it holds the tenancy to the property, which it said belonged to a private individual. Curiously, the APC also claimed that it had a subsisting seven-year tenancy on the property which it alleged was taken over by the PDP following the defection of the then governor, Godwin Obaseki to the erstwhile opposition party four years ago.

Deploring the way and manner the APC, led by its state chairman, Jarret Tenebe, acted, the PDP described it as an invitation to anarchy in the state and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call Governor Monday Okpebholo and his party to order before the situation degenerated.
Stating his party’s case in a press statement on Friday, titled, “Criminal Trespass, Breaking and Entry, Stealing and Malicious Damage,” Dr. Aziegbemi said:

“At 1:31 pm yesterday, January 16, 2025, the APC, using several Hilux vans and other vehicles, led by Jarret Tenebe, deployed their thugs, backed by police officers from the Government House, to sack the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from its secretariat on Airport Road, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

“The entire operation was violent and brutal as has never been heard of or seen before, and sadly, it lasted for more than an hour. The secretariat was vandalised, and there was wreckage and destruction everywhere. Banners and other materials were taken off and destroyed. Lives were put in danger, including mine as the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State. I was forcefully bundled out of my office with the help of Mr. Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, amidst brutal assault and violence against my person.

“No doubt, this is arguably the worst attack on democracy in any part of Nigeria since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999. Even military regimes before 1999 were not as violent or brutal against dissenting voices as the Okpebholo-led government since they took office on November 12, 2024.

“Today’s violent takeover of the PDP Secretariat by Okpebholo and the APC is a clear reflection of the reign of terror that the people of Edo State have witnessed over the past two months. We state unequivocally that we are the legitimate tenants of the said property. It is the same devious tactics deployed to sack and intimidate duly elected council chairmen and vice chairmen out of office, using horse whips and other dangerous weapons. It is the same pattern that is deployed in motor parks and markets, where thugs operating under the protection of the state government harass, intimidate, and extort transporters and traders daily without restraint”.

Later at a press conference, the PDP described the way its secretariat was invaded by the APC as an invitation to anarchy in the state and called on President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Monday Okpebholo and the APC to order before the situation degenerated.

Flanked by the party’s publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare, and the Director General of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council for the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Dr Aziegbemi lamented that terror now reigned in the state.

Apparently disappointed at the delay by the police in responding to his distress call when the secretariat was under attack, the PDP chairman said though he immediately put a call across to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Aideyan Police Station, the DPO did not arrive at the secretariat until 2:42 pm from a distance of less than five minutes’ drive.

The magazine gathered that following the delay in police response to his plight, Aziegbemi had to call the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku who immediately arrived to take him out of the building.

The distraught chairman stated that the property housing the PDP secretariat is owned by a private individual and wondered why the APC chairman did not toe the path of civilisation by contacting the landlord if indeed the APC had a subsisting seven-year tenancy agreement on the property.

Dr. Aziegbemi described the invasion and ransacking of the PDP secretariat as “executive recklessness which points to one direction, anarchy,”, adding, “the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has continued its brigandage, illegality, and violent assault on democracy, and we are deeply worried that if unabated, it may snowball into a breakdown of law and order, leading to anarchy and chaos in the state.”

Nehikhare, in his reaction, said “We should be congratulating PDP and its supporters for the restraint and maturity displayed. I’m very proud and honoured to be part of such noble men, women and youth. Edo will rise again!”