Call Oshiomhole To Order, Edo Pro-Democracy Group Urges Buhari

The Edo For Good Governance (EGG) group in Edo State today urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Adams Oshiomhole to order before he plunges the state into avoidable bloodshed.

In a statement signed by its State Coordinator, Comrade John Ogbeide, the group condemned what it called the so-called impeachment of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly earlier in the day, describing it as a continuation of the plot to eliminate Deputy Governor Pius Odubu, who has indicated interest in the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

EGG said it was an open secret that all attempts to make Dr. Odubu give up his resolve to vie for the ticket had failed.

“It is quite pathetic that few days after the deputy governor narrowly escaped being assassination in Auchi - an attack in which his DSS bodyguard and police Escort commander sustained serious gun wounds - these anti-democratic forces have now shifted their weapons to the Edo House of Assembly,” the statement said.  It added that these developments are in utter contempt for the cultural sensibilities of the Bini nation and the entire Edo people who are still mourning Oba Erediuauwa, who died a few days ago.

The group also noted that the new developments come less than two weeks after the House of Assembly, in the exercise of its independence, disagreed with the governor over the dissolution of councils.

“We understand huge sums of money exchanged hands to effect this regime change against the principled leadership offered by Honorable Victor Edoror, who, until now, had stubbornly refused monetary inducements to entertain impeachment proceedings against an innocent man, Dr. Odubu,” EGG said.

It said it wanted to put the national leadership of APC on notice, as well as alert President Buhari to call Governor Oshiomhole to allow democracy to prevail as the party prepares for the primaries in the next four weeks.

“Dr. Odubu is not asking for any special favor, but only a level-playing field to allow our party members freely choose who to carry the party flag in the September 10 elections,” it said, vowing to resist neo-godfatherism, imposition or rigging of any sort.

The group recalled that shortly after President Buhari assumed power last year, one of the early decisions he took was to facilitate the approval of a $75m World Bank loan for Edo State, believing it would be used to improve the lot of the Edo people.

“We understand the money amounting to close to N20b was quietly accessed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole through Access Bank last month,” EGG said, expressing the hope that the money is not now being diverted to pursue an anti-democratic agenda.

The group asked: “Is it not ironic that the man who openly boasted in July 2012 when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was still president that he did not need then General Muhammadu Buhari to win his second term elections on July 14, 2012, is now afraid of free and fair primaries in Edo State?

SAHARA REPORTERS