By Chuks Okocha
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, under the leadership of Mr. Aminu WaziriTambuwal. has condemned the invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly by members of the Nigerian police
The governors in a statement that was issued by the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr. C.I.D. Maduabum, said: “We condemn unequivocally the police invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly in the early hours of August 6, 2020. The House of Assembly was surrounded and cordoned off by the police without the invitation or request of the legitimate authorities of the state or the House.”
The PDP’s governors said that the invasion was apparently to give cover to the unlawful and illegal attempt to seize the House of Assembly in aid of unconstitutional acts being hatched by some former members-elect of the Edo House of Assembly.
The forum condemned as “illegal, unconstitutional, and an act of impunity, the purported swearing in of some former members elect and purported election of new presiding officers in a private residence in Benin without the legitimate officials of the House of Assembly as required by law. “It is the height of political brigandage and desperation. Why are the perpetrators of this illegal and unlawful activity afraid of facing the electorate in a free and fair election? Why are they afraid of the giant strides and impressive performance of His Excellency, Governor Godwin
Obaseki?”
The PDP governors warned that any attempt to achieve an unconstitutional takeover of either the legislative or the executive power in Edo State would lead to unpleasant consequences far beyond the shores of state.
“We appeal to Mr. President to caution the security agencies to remain neutral and even handed in Edo State and not lend its authority to unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional acts of a desperate gang of power mongers.
“We consequently request an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to deal with the increasing unconstitutional use of the police authorities for partisan politics,” the governors requested.
The governors further called on the people of Edo State to remain vigilant and peaceful in resisting any attempt to desecrate democracy and constitutionalism in Edo State by the All Progressives Congress and their supporters.
They also requested the security agencies to concentrate on the insecurity challenges being experienced in many parts of the country, including the escalating rural and urban banditry, Boko Haram insurgency and kidnapping of innocent Nigerians.
