PDP accuses Obaseki of sponsoring attack on Senator

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state has accused the All Progressives Party (APC) led administration in the state of sponsoring hooliganism against opposition members in the state.

In a statement signed by the party’s state publicity secretary, Chris Osa Nehikhare on Saturday, the party said it condemned in strongest terms the display of State sponsored hooliganism as displayed by APC members who were kitted in black after recruitment in government house.

The statement said the execution of this dastardly plan was carried out in the presence of the Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“Yesterday, Friday, April 27, 2018, Distinguished Senator Matthew Urhoghide in the presence of Gov Godwin Obaseki was attacked by APC led government sponsored thugs as he disembarked from the plane that brought him from Abuja.”

“We were informed when the flight was airborne that APC thugs kitted in Black had been mobilized from government house with a mission was to invade the Benin airport and their target was Distinguished Senator Matthew Urhoghide.”

“In the presence of the governor, who draws N400m monthly from the state security vote, these thugs kitted in black by Edo state government, attacked Senator Matthew Urhoghide, a former state woman leader and our youth leader. After observing and supervising the attack, with a smirk on his face, the governor, Godwin Obaseki, climbed into his Jeep and gave a fist pump in approval and solidarity with his thugs for a mission accomplished,” the statement added.

The PDP in the state described the act as
another evidence of the disdain and intolerance with which the APC government views the legislature and opposition voices.

“In their glaring failure, they exhibit executive rascality, misplaced power arrogance and obvious ignorance of constitutional rights and roles of the three arms of government,” the statement said.

According to the PDP, the APC has now resulted to state sponsored hooliganism in their desperate attempt to cling on to power both in the state and at the federal level.

“Senator Urhoghide cannot be cowed, intimidated or harassed. Senator Urhoghide
will continue to carry out his constitutionally assigned role as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Nehikhare in the statement said Edo PDP is already compelling report of the ugly incident and would send it to the police for investigation.

The party therefore appealed to its members in Edo South senatorial district remain calm and law abiding while the police carry out necessary investigations on the dastardly act.