The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State chapter has attributed the violent protests which rocked the City of Benin on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 to the nonchalant attitude of the Godwin Obaseki administration in the face of unwarranted hardship the people have been forced to face since the new policy and fuel scarcity.
The opposition party said in a recent statement that it was therefore a surprise for the same administration to hold the former national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole responsible for the attendant negative reactions from the people, victims of the unpleasant situation by calling for his arrest by the police.
Peter Enoserogbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq. the APC publicity secretary spoke on behalf of the party to journalists on its behalf in Benin, Thursday in reaction to the Edo State Government’s statement Wednesday evening.
The state government had through its commissioner for Orientation and Communication, Chris Nehikhare accused Oshiomhole of instigating the protest over the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which led to the violence and destruction of property worth millions and called on security agencies to invite and interrogate Oshiomhole for instigating the protests in a viral video said circulated on social media.
The APC noted, that while Edo people were commending the courage of the State Governors who “took the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to court challenging its deadline for the use of the old naira notes, the Edo governor was queuing behind the CBN.
“It was disgusting and anti people for them to hear that instead of the governor to fight for their welfare, the Edo State Government has filed a motion for joinder at the Supreme Court as respondents, meaning the state is on the side of the CBN to emasculate and further punish the people.
“It was this offensive action of the state government that increased the, “already tensed atmosphere in the state, and remotely led to the protestations,” the APC argued.
It also blamed the security for fuelling the crisis.
“The secondary and effectual reason behind the protestations was the senseless use of arms by the security agents on those who were peacefully agitating for their rights, leading to the unwarranted killing of many innocent citizens.
“The social media is awash with the pictorial evidence of the shooting and killings.”
The APC wondered how any sane man in the circumstances above can, “attribute the ugly, barbaric and unorthodox action to Oshiomhole, who it described as, “a refined gentleman who has built strong and virile legacies across the length and breadth of the state albeit the nation”.
“It is only senseless, baseless, undemocratic, puerile, uninformed, uncultured, flimsy and most unfortunate, for a government whose responsibility it is to cater for the well-being of its people to now appropriate and blame its failure on a man whose unprecedented image looms large in the corridors of labour movement, government and civil society movement.
“Edo people are now well informed and are encouraged to appreciate the negative consequences of the abandonment of government responsibility by Obasek”, the main opposition added.
“… the Obaseki led Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Government should bury its head in shame for its failure to provide the security of lives and property which is her primary responsibility,” party stated, adding, “the uncoordinated and repulsive press statement by Obaseki’s aides further exposes their uninformed and naive dispositions towards governance.”
It urged Edo people to use their Personal Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to vote out the PDP in the state to restore the beautiful legacies Oshiomhole left behind as governor.
Calling for calm, it said, “We also plead with the angry Edo people to remain calm as the Supreme Court which is the last hope of the common man, shall adequately address these anti people policies of the CBN openly supported by the cabal including the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.”
The party expressed its sincere sympathy to the banks vandalized by the angry mobs and the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate confusion.
It prayed God to grant the souls of the dead mercy to rest in His bosom, and the families the strength to bear the losses.
