Ahead of the gubernatorial polls billed for September 10 in Edo state, a
dangerous precedence seems to be playing itself out in the preparations of
the primaries of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
First, it was the convoy of the deputy governor, Dr.Pius Odubu that was
attacked by political thugs from which he was said to have escaped death
by the whiskers.
Another top contender and a favored aspirant by the state governor, Godwin
Obaseki and his supporters on Sunday evening came under attack by heavily
armed men at Sobe in Owan West Council Area of the state.
Pointblanknews.com learned that the youths from the area came to the
rescue of Obaseki and his supporters as they fought with the attackers who
were said to be suspected political thugs and they were reportedly
arrested and quickly handed over to the police alongside their guns.
The state Commissioner for Arts and Culture, McDonald Obasuke confirmed
the ugly incident, affirming that he personally saw one of the attackers
going inside a vehicle and bringing out a gun with which he shot at the
venue where Obaseki was about to address the delegates.
He said: “While we were still expecting delegates, Obaseki was already
inside with the party leaders when this boy who pretended he was with us
went inside the car and brought out a gun and fired at our direction.
“We were lucky to dodge the bullet so we immediately mobilized our boys
and pursued them because it seems they came to disrupt the event. We
caught them and handed them over to the police. It was really shocking but
we thank God nobody was hurt. However, Obaseki could not address the
delegates because of the shooting”.
The APC governorship aspirant expressed rude shock at the attacks which
forced him to discontinue with the meeting with the delegates because of
the heavy shooting by the hoodlums.
“I called off the meeting with the delegates because I had to be whisked
off by my security men. No one was hurt though. I cannot be intimidated,
whoever did this has failed because we will continue our campaign”, he
said.
The latest attack is coming barely two weeks after the campaign train of
the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu was allegedly attacked at the
APC secretariat in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Council Areaof the
state where he had gone to meet with delegates in the area ahead of the
party primaries coming up in June this year.
Many stakeholders have roundly condemned the unfolding but frightening
dangerous political trend and manner of attacks on politicians in the
state.
It would be recalled also that the Inspector General of Police, IGP
Solomon Arase had constituted a committee of policemen from the force
headquarters in Abuja to carry out full scale investigation into the
circumstances surrounding the attack on Dr. Odubu’s campaign team.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Osifo who was
contacted, said the command was yet to be briefed on the incident and
promised to contact the Divisional police station at Sabongida Ora for
details on
the attack.