Former Secretary to Edo state government and frontline APC gubernatorial aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu responds to the allegations by Government officials on recent shooting and bombing of APC chieftains offices and residences in Benin City:

Excerpts:

"There has been a Mass exodus of people from Edo state in the last one year. Many people have had to relocate because of the unprecedented violence targeted at those who are opposed to the second term of the Governor.

A bomb will not explode in a state where I am Governor and I will not go and visit those affected. Even if they are not members of my party, not to talk about when we are in the same political party.

And these are people who played serious role in your election as Governor. Even if they did not play a role. But they played. The bomb that could easily have killed them exploded in their homes, you must go an visit.

Henry Idahagbon had gunshots into his office; you did not go and visit, you could not send somebody to go and visit. What kind of hard-heartedness is being exhibited?

And the next thing Government is saying it is Ize-Iyamu that is responsible. This will be really tell you that their allegation is very ridiculous. It also shows the poverty in intelligence of those in the Government right now: Very shallow reasoning!

If they have nothing to say keep quiet instead of making allegations that show you as not well educated; because the people you are talking to are not stupid, they are not fools.

And Edo people are no fools. There is a clear pattern. All the people being attacked whether Lawrence Okah, or Inegbeneki, Idahagbon or Okaeben, the 14 APC Members-elect or the Pastor Ize-Iyamu rally or that in Auchi, where they burnt chairs and canopies, the common denominator is that all those affected are opposed to the Governor's second term or they are not seen to be in his group. All of them not one or two. And you cannot point to any retaliation.

So there is no doubt that these attacks are coming from a particular group. Then the silence of government also lend credence to it. Of course if I was the Governor, I will go and visit Okah's home, Inegbeneki's house.

For your information, by the time I came into the party, the EPM ceased to exist. And it will interest you to know that since I came, nobody invited me to an EPM meeting. If EPM existed maybe before I came. But I can tell you that this so-called EPM has been in the imagination of those in government.

Assuming without conceding that bombs are being thrown to create the scene for a state of emergency, so you will throw the bombs in the homes of your members? Because those that have so far been affected are those they have classified as EPM members. Unless they are saying that Lawrence Okah is with the Governor but I think I have them saying that, he is an EPM chieftain like Inegbeneki.

Does it make sense for EPM members to be throwing bombs in the residence of their members? The Police said a bomb exploded in the house of Lawrence Okah and left a huge hole in the house. And I personally went there and saw that it was just the grace of God that the bomb that exploded did not go close to the two gas cylinders that were nearby.

Are they really saying that so-called EPM members are bombing and shooting themselves because they want a State of Emergency in Edo state? Why are these bombs not being thrown on the houses of those on the other side?

All these people affected are classified as enemies by the government. So if anybody has any motive to do what is happening, it is those are in government who have never visited the scene, never condemned the incidents and see nothing wrong in at is happening but are very quick to point accusing fingers at the victims"

Credits: Ofure Victor Osehobo

peace must rein in Edo state