As the 2016 Edo State elections approach in Edo State tensions are at boiling point and violence is a daily occurrence. I see two major factors in the rise in murders and other violent incidents

1.Adams Oshiomhole policy of keeping his enemies close (instead of attempting to defeat it)
2.Inter and Internal political violence (parties warring with each other and also warring within themselves)

Both of these factors have two things in common:

1.Corruption
2.Cultism

Adams Oshiomhole. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

Adams Oshiomhole was elected as Edo State's 9th Governor. He was proceeded by 6 military administrations (starting with John Ewerekumoh Yeri upon the creation of Edo State in 1991 and ending with Anthony Onyearugbulem who handed over Governorship of the State into civilian hands in 1999) and two entirely corrupt civilian Governorships comprising firstly of Lucky Igbinedion (who ran two terms from 1999 to 2007 and who got away with the embezzlement of $26,000,000 USD thanks to a phone call from his Father to the powers that be) and Oserheimen Osunbor whose Governorship was overturned due to "massive rigging and other election malpractices as well as widespread thuggery and violence". Oserheimen Osunbor's Governorship summarily nullified by the courts and his position duly handed over to Adams Oshiomhole who has been Governor since 2008 . His second and final term set to end in 2016.



Despite the seat of power been wrestled from Lucky Igbinedion's PDP party's hands into the hands of the ACN party Lucky Igbinedion's corrupt administration never actually lost power. Under the guise of the political pressure group "The Grace Group" the PDP suffered a multitude of high profile defections from the losing PDP party into the ACN's Edo State Government. Therefore meaning that despite the exclusion of Lucky Igbinedion himself the corrupt and ill-functioning PDP administration, despite the people's wishes, effectively remained in power.



"The Grace Group" that was the political trojan horse of these defections and was established even with corrupt funding. Chief Osaro Idah funding the establishment of the "The Grace Group" using funds effectively stolen from Bendel Brewery leaving it with a whopping 1.2 billion Naira ($6,000,000 USD) debt to Intercontinental Bank. Chief Osaro Idah didn't mind though and left as General Manager of the brewery to take up the position of ACN Edo State Secretary.



This was far from the only notable switch of the role. "The Grace Group" facilitated the following defections from the PDP back into government:




Hon. Thomas Okosun
Formerly: PDP Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly
Became: ACN Edo State Chairman

Chief Lucky James
Formerly: Chairman Etsako West LGA and Chairman Edo Post Primary Education Board under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Commissioner for Local Government Affairs.

Mr. Dan Owegie
Formerly: PDP Party Chairman, Ovia South Local Government Area. Chairman of chairmen under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: ACN State Publicity Secretary

Barr. Osarodion Ogie (Secretary Grace Group)
Formerly: Secretary, Schools Infrastructure Development Committee under Igbinedion.
Became: Chief of Staff to Adams Oshiomhole

Mr. Lawrence OkahACN
Formerly: General Manager, Rapid Response Agency under Igbinedion.
Became: Oredo Party Leader (ACN)

Mrs. Modino Emovon
Formerly: Chairman, Waste Management Boards and PDP Chairman ECTS Board under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Edo State ACN Woman Leader,

Hon. Pally Iriase
Formerly: Immediate past Secretary to State Government 2008-2011PDP
Became: Member House of Representatives for Owan West/East,


Rev. Michael Egharevba
Formerly: Special Adviser to Lucky Igbinedion. One time Senatorial Leader, Edo South Senatorial District
Became: Special Adviser on Protocol to Adams Oshiomhole

Chief Tom Ikimi
Formerly: PDP Leader, Edo Central
Became: ACN National Leader

Chief Andrew Agbi
Formerly: PDP Chairman, Governing Council, Institute of Technology, Usen under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: ACN Leader

Barr. Henry Idahagbon
Formerly: PDP Commissioner for Lands and Survey under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Special Adviser to Adams Oshiomhole. Secretary, Oshiomhole Campaign Organization

Mr. Nosa Adams
Formerly: PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Egor Local Govt Council under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Executive Director, Emergency Relief Agency under Adams Oshiomhole

Chief Amos Osunbor
Formerly: Chairman, Edo Line. Managing Director Edo Line under Lucky Igbinedion.
Became: Chairman, Board of Directors Edo Line under Oshiomhole.

Mr. Victor Enoghama
Formerly: Caretaker Committee Chairman, Oredo LG under his brother- in-law Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Commissioner for Transport under Adams Oshiomhole

Chief Osamede Adun aka Bob-Izua
Formerly: Chairman, Committee on Demolition of Illegal Structures under Lucky Igbinedion. Was in charge of collection of all Revenues in Ring Road under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Chairman Small and Medium Enterprises Committee.

Hon. Bright Omokhodion
Formerly: Commissioner for Finance under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Immediate past Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly

Mr. Phillip Olumese
Formerly: Commissioner for Commerce and Industry under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Former Chairman, Edo Broadcasting Service.

Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Igbafe Omokhodion
Formerly: Board Member, Otibhor Okhai Specialist Hospital, Irrua.
Became: Executive Director, Poverty Alleviation Programme

Hon. Anselm Agbabi
Formerly: PDP Member, Edo House of Assembly
Became: Executive Chairman, Akoko-Edo LG Caretaker Committee

Chief Bayo Adams
Formerly: PDP Party Leader, Akoko-Edo LGA and Board member under Lucky Igbinedion
Became: Chairman, Library Board

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu
Formerly: PDP Chief of Staff 1999 to 2003 and Secretary to the State Government 2003 to 2007.
Became: ACN, National Vice Chairman. Campaign Manager, Oshiomhole’s campaign organization

Dr. Pius Odubu
Formerly: Member House of Representatives 1999 to 2007
Became: Deputy Governor

Hon. Charles Idahosa
Formerly: Director of Protocol and Administration 1999-2000. Commissioner for Information 2003 to 2004. Member, Board of NTA
Became: Special Adviser on Political Matters to Adams Oshiomhole

Barr. Frank Erewele
Formerly: Commissioner for Education under Lucky Igbinedion. Chairman Grace Group
Became: State Organizing Secretary and Chairman Utilities Board

Barr. Anselm Ojezua
Formerly: Commissioner for Sports and Social Development under Lucky Igbinedion.
Became: Commissioner for Information, Commissioner for Lands and Survey 2009 to date



So although it may seem like Adams Oshiomhole was getting into bed with the enemy (his PDP rivals and the criminals and cultists which formed the Lucky Igbinedion administration) it should be more seen as his enemies buying their way into bed with him.



Under this backdrop of corruption, betrayal and power seizing it is of no surprise internal enemies would start to bare on down on Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He was subject to assassination attempts on him and his staff. Including the killing of his Principal Private Secretary Olaitan Oyerinde and an attack on Oshiomhole's motorcade in 2012 which left 3 journalists dead.



It is under such brutal pressure that I believe Governor Adams Oshiomhole adopted his strategy of keeping his friends close but his enemies closer. He enacted several dubious and deplorable actions. Which if he hadn't he may not still be alive today. Such actions as employing hired killers like Tony Kabaka (Tony Adun) and his mafia boss uncle Bob Izua (Chief Osamede Adun) for the purposes of "revenue collection" (extortion through the company 'Akugbe Ventures') and actions like forming the 'Rainbow Consolidated Forum'. The 'Rainbow Consolidated Forum' bringing together all Edo's major cult groups under one umbrella (Governor Adams Oshiomhole's umbrella) under the guise of his intent to use them to stamp out the murders, rapes, robberies and kidnappings (they were committing). The 'Rainbow Consolidated Forum' consisted of the murderers, rapists, armed robbers and kidnappers that were the N*o Bl*ck Movement, the M*phites, E*ye Confraternity and the Nors*men etc etc.


Governor Adams Oshiomhole's leaving office in 2016 will see the most brutal political violence Edo State has ever seen as the power mongers try to kill and buy their way into power. It most certainly has already started and continues to get worse week by week. According to one worried political commentator "Edo people say that more than 95% of the members of Edo House of Assembly (EDHA) belong to one violent cult group or the other. As a result, these different malicious cult groups have hijacked the Government House in a struggle to get their members in key government positions all over the state"

Worrying times for Edo State

The full article can be viewed here: https://bemigho147watch./2015/09/18/2016-edo-state-elections-road-to-war/

Great article here too by Paul Omoruyi on the same subject:

Our moral, religious, and political traditions are united in their respect for the dignity of human life. - Robert Casey

If anyone is paying attention, over the years, cult killings and counter-killings have taken more lives than the reprehensible killings of Boko Haram. Sadly, Nigeria’s cult wars and deaths do not make national news like Boko Haram’s mayhem. But the truth is that these cultists terrorizing the streets of Nigeria are just as vicious as Boko Haram.

No doubt, we have lost our moral compass and the value of human life and dignity in Nigeria. In less than three months, over 300 youths have been killed in Benin City alone from cult related activities. That is an average of 100 deaths per month. This is nothing short of mutiny and complete breakdown of law and order in the State. The Inspector General of Nigeria’s Police should immediately recall the commissioner of police in Edo State or declare a State of Emergency in Benin City NOW.

According to reports emanating from Benin, the current war between rival cult groups in Benin City is “believe to be linked to the leadership of Edo Rainbow Coalition who propel these confraternity boys into actions to get attention from the state government because it has refused for some time now to dish out money to them.”

On October 14th, 2013, The Punch newspaper reported that Edo State “cult members, belonging to various fraternities in schools across the state converged at the Sand Beach Resorts, Benin, on Saturday [October 12th] for a summit tagged “Interactive Peace Summit: Strategy for Social Cohesion.” At the summit, the groups, which came together under the aegis of Rainbow Consolidated Forum said they were not satisfied with the spate of violent crimes and insecurity in the state and vowed to fight the situation. Some of the fraternities at the summit included the <REMOVED CULT GROUP NAMES DUE TO NAIRALAND UNWRITTEN RULES ABOUT NAMING CULT GROUPS”

After the purported despicable cultists “summit” last year, it was rumored around Benin that Governor Oshiomhole has been paying these cult groups from the public coffers to checkmate their violent propensities. To many Edolites, the governor has legitimized and emboldened them so much so that they do whatever they like, whenever they like and however they like.

It appears Governor Oshiomhole has lost complete control of Benin City to the cultists. Why should a responsible Government cede the security of the state to cultist groups? Where are the Nigerian Police Force and other Government security apparatus in the State?

If it turns out that the Governor has been involved in such clandestine payments to cult members/groups in Benin City (to the detriment and massacre of Edo children), then his legacy will be forever marred, as he will be remembered as the “cultist-paying Governor.”

However, since Edo State is in financial dire straight, it would be wise for the Governor to stop such payments NOW (if it is true). The governor has all the state and federal resources to maintain law and order if this agitation is over the stoppage of such payments. Like I indicated in my article months ago, no individual or group should be more powerful than the state.

Governor Oshiomhole should not negotiate any deal with the cultists groups. Rather, like any responsibly government, he should marshal all the security apparatus at his disposal to crush these scumbags once and for all.

Today, shamefully, nothing happens in Benin City without cult membership playing a role. From public service election to Government appointments and contracts, the discussion is purely on which cult you belong to. Capability, intelligence and leadership abilities have no place in our society anymore.
Graduates have no jobs while Agberos and illiterate cult members hold public office all over town. They go home with money bags on a daily basis. Yes, millions of naira daily. Money made from intimidating the public, from axe, hatchet and guns. Blood money, some call it.

You do not need education, special skill or training. Just “belong” to one of these nocturnal groups and start killing, then you are on your way to getting appointments and millions of naira.

We are sitting on gun powder. As usual, nothing is a problem in our beloved country until it becomes crisis. Just as the emergence of Boko Haram, no one will be immune from the dastardly acts perpetrated by these miscreants, low-lives and scoundrel cultists in our society.

The crisis is here. I hope not here to stay forever. From students to lecturers, law makers to governors, let all well meaning Nigerians say no to Cultism!!!

http://saharareporters.com/2014/03/04/legacy-governor-adams-oshiomhole-and-cultists-crisis-benin-city-paul-omoruyi

A group of confraternities, named the Rainbow Coalition, in Auchi, Edo State, have warned politicians against using its members for sinister purposes in their bids to win elections.

In a communiqué it issued, the coalition revealed politicians are trying to induce their members and divide their ranks to achieve their selfish political ambitions.

“Members of the coalition engage in various acts of shameful negotiation with these politicians running into millions of naira in some cases, with the promise to deliver them in their elections,” the communiqué read in part.

For the reason, the coalition’s Council of Heads of Confraternity said it disbanding its Edo North chapter, and promised to set up a “non-partisan and truly functional” body.

“The council of heads shall in the interim assume the responsibilities of the Rainbow Coalition for a period of not more than six months while planning the inauguration of a new Rainbow Coalition.”

http://www.newsbreak.ng/2015/01/edo-cult-groups-warn-politicians-against-using-them-as-political-thugs/

New Topic 'Political Thuggery Must Stop': https://www.nairaland.com/2672325/political-thuggery-must-stop

Oshomole could not silence d cults because he had no control of d police under GEJ fed govt. So he was helpless and at some point needed them for his own security.

Exactly. He let the enemy get into bed with him or they would have killed him.

I referenced that fact here: It is under such brutal pressure that I believe Governor Adams Oshiomhole adopted his strategy of keeping his friends close but his enemies closer. He enacted several dubious and deplorable actions. Which if he hadn't he may not still be alive today. Such actions as employing hired killers like Tony Kabaka (Tony Adun) and his mafia boss uncle Bob Izua (Chief Osamede Adun)