The All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally established a national campaign council, comprising 362 members, in anticipation of the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
During the inauguration of this council, presided over by Governor Bassey Ottu of Cross River State, on Sunday, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, tasked the members with the responsibility of supporting the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebolo, in the September 21 election.
Ganduje expressed the party’s satisfaction, highlighting the candidate and his running mate’s comprehensive plan for the development of Edo State.
He emphasized that their approach is not merely based on agreements or Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), but rather on a detailed blueprint and practical strategies aimed at ensuring Edo State’s full development and integration with the national centre.
He further elaborated that for the state to fully realize the benefits of democracy and achieve comprehensive political engagement, it must maintain a connection with the central government.
Additionally, the National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, during the reception of several new members who had previously left other political parties to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed his belief that their integration would significantly enhance the party’s chances of success.
Naija News recalls that on Saturday, July 20, the re-instated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, convened with other members of the state’s political legacy coalition to join APC.
Others in this coalition include Charles Idahosa, a PDP Board of Trustees member; Hon. Kabir Adjoto and Frank Okiye, former speakers of the Edo State Assembly; Aisosa Amandasu, the PDP Women Leader; candidates for the PDP’s gubernatorial primary; and numerous others, who are dissatisfied members under the leadership of the suspended PDP National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih.
In response to the recent Federal High Court ruling that reinstated Shaibu, the APC’s scribe emphasized that any individual claiming Shaibu’s removal from the position of Deputy Governor of Edo State was in violation of a court’s decision and that such actions would ultimately lead to legal consequences.
In his remark, a former Edo State Governor, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, said, “If they can cheat themselves and go to court, we will not allow them to cheat at the polls. It will be one man, one vote.”
In a related development, the state’s APC chapter has called for the removal of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, citing an assault on Senator Okpebholo and the demand for the reinstatement of Shaibu by the hoodlums at the Benin airport.
It is pertinent to note that the incident occurred last Thursday, when a group of thugs infiltrated the Benin airport and attacked Senator Okpebholo and Shaibu, who had just arrived from Abuja, resulting in the death of a police orderly who was serving under Senator Okpebholo.
In response to these allegations, the Director of Media for the APC Campaign Council, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has accused the Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, of being involved in the assault.
He said, “While the shootings were going on, the Commissioner of Police was on the ground at the Benin airport. He left through the entry gate instead of the exit gate, where the attack took place. He did nothing to repel the vicious attack that claimed the life of one of his officers.”
Adegboye Exonerates Self From Attack On Shaibu, Okpebholo
In response to allegations levied against him, the Commissioner of Police, Adegboye, unequivocally refuted any allegations of misconduct and maintained his denial of receiving intelligence prior to the execution of the attack.
He said, “I had information that some people gathered at the airport, supporters, and I went in there because our goal is to maintain law and order. So, we were there, me and my men, and it was after these people left the airport that we learnt about the shooting that led to the death of the inspector.”
He further stated that the investigation was in progress and that individuals identified in connection with the incident would be apprehended.
Concurrently, the government of Edo State submitted a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), alleging that Shaibu, along with several chieftaincy leaders of the APC, orchestrated the crisis that resulted in the demise of the police inspector.
This petition, bearing the signatures of the state’s Solicitor General, Prof. Faith Osadolor, on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, accused Shaibu of orchestrating the violence.