By Sebastine Ebhuomhan
1 Chronicles 29: 15. “For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope.” (NKJV).
Monday, 22nd July, 2024. Abuja. For about eight years in power, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has directly and indirectly killed and maimed Edo State citizens. During the time, he has not only been ungrateful to his helpers, he has also bullied, attacked and destroyed the sources of livelihood of others. But the governor’s criminal acts reached a new height on Thursday, 18th July, 2024.
On the day the sun rose to spray its rays in a bid to dry the floods that submerged Benin City, Edo State capital, it rained blood, death and tears instead as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-elected Obaseki administration unleashed its uniformed armed cult menacing in the name of Edo State Security Network (ESSN). Like many terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, ESSN allegedly commanded by one ‘Muntari’ and other known thugs pumped bullets on defenceless citizens at the Exit Gate of the Benin Airport. It is on record that several defenceless, hapless and helpless citizens have been shot and killed by this terrorist group for issues as ridiculous as disagreements over women and alcohol, not to mention struggles for money and power by representatives of cult groups in Edo State government.
By the time the dusts of the hail of bullets propelled on the peaceful, lively, singing and boisterous convoy of the lawmaker representing Edo Central District at the upper chamber of the National Assembly and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo in the company of reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Right Honourable Philip Shaibu settled under the watchful eyes of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Funsho Adegboye, the remains of the protective Mobile Police Force officer attached to the lawmaker from MOPOL 45, Abuja, Inspector Akor Onu and an unidentified citizen described as a vulcanizer, laid lifeless. Two other police officers as well as civilians in the company of Okpebholo that were shot and severely injured were admitted for treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Benin.
According to eyewitness accounts, masked armed men of the ESSN operating in an unmarked tinted bus (which described the criminal way they also operated for the state government before and after the rigged local government election of 2023) took positions around the Benin Airport Exit Gate before the convoy emerged from the airport park from where they launched the tragic gunfire. But in a petition written on behalf of Governor Godwin Obaseki to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin City, by the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi Esq, the government refused to mention the criminal role of its monster, ESSN. The petition that was signed by the Edo State Solicitor-General, Prof Faith Osadolor for the ex-Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Director and received on 19th July, admitted that the late Mr. Onu “was a victim of the attack” of an orchestrated “breakdown of law and order.” But it glaringly failed to mention that he was killed in the line of duty for Senator Okpebholo, whose name was shockingly omitted from the host of names of APC leaders and members mentioned in the petition. According to legal experts, this error of omission or commission by the Edo State Ministry of Justice has reduced the three-page petition to worthless papers destined for the waste bin.
The reasons for the unprovoked, ambush and mortal attack allegedly planned by a politician and friend of both the governor and PDP candidate, Chief Francis Inegbeniki, in cahoots with senior officials of the government, was simple. To prevent the APC candidate from rallying or campaigning in order to stop the imminent defeat of Obaseki’s friend and puppet, Dr. Akintunde Asuerinme Ighodalo in the governorship election of Saturday, 21st September, 2024. Also, to stop any anticipated meeting anywhere that would seek to adopt options for the court-ordered reinstatement of Shaibu to his office since Shaibu is now supporting Okpebholo and the APC after Obaseki unlawfully impeached him. Just like Justice Ekwo’s voiding of the list of delegates that elected Ighodalo, the PDP never saw Shaibu’s reinstatement coming before the Honourable Justice James Omotosho’s judgment hit the state government and party like a thunderbolt.
Mourning the loss of his protector, an emotional Okpebholo cried, condoled the family of the slain policeman and demanded justice for his daylight murder. He empathized with the injured members of his convoy with a promise to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“I am saddened and heartbroken about the tragic killing of Inspector Akor Onu. He was a good policeman, one of the finest in the Nigeria Police Force. Inspector Onu was unreservedly committed to his duty, and due to his exceptional commitment and effective policing, we became friends for over 12 years.” Okpebholo prayed for the repose of Akor’s soul and speedy recovery of all those hospitalised for treatment.
For this journalist, Akor’s death marked a personal loss. Since his first visit to Okpebholo’s house in Abuja in March 2024 during which time the late policeman learnt he is the face behind the COVID-19 masks on social media walls writing feistily, fearlessly and famously in promotion and campaign for Okpebholo since last year, Akor became his close friend. During the three other times he visited for strategic talks since March, Akor assumed the responsibility of telling him when to come. Now, he is stone-cold; murdered by cultists recruited by a greedy, corrupt, power-hungry despot with a long history of rebellion against the throne. May Akor’s ever-smiling soul rest in eternal peace…
Edo government’s act of violence is an affront on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is also an assault on the democratic values of Edo State of the pre-Obaseki era. Reconsidering the attack, it is undeniable the gunmen aimed at not only disrupting Shaibu’s return to Benin but to assassinate Okpebholo, who shared the camaraderie of a flight with Shaibu as a result of which both men were exiting the airport in a convoy. Indeed, how could the rejected stranger, Ighodalo, win the forthcoming election if Edo government does not kill Okpebholo? There is no greater supportive evidence of a government conspiracy than the eyes of the state police boss witnessing the cold-blooded murder of his fellow policeman. To crown the shock, he is yet to arrest any suspect four days after reportedly breaking his silence on the violence. There are other supportive actions.
Early Thursday morning, a 40-second video with the watermark of Chris Osa Media Group circulated. It showed Inegbeniki addressing a group of thugs and cultists, who he reassured that Okpebholo would never become the governor as his group had swung into actions. The video appeared a couple of days after a subtle threat posted by the criminally-minded and notorious Ighodalo campaign spokesman, Rev. Olu Martins titled: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide: An Open Letter to Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Martins, who is believed to be heading a violent wing of Edo PDP’s nest of killers, was seen in a viral video weeks ago addressing cultists in the night, urging them to destroy other candidates’ billboards, and kill defectors leaving the PDP as well as opponents of Ighodalo. He was arrested by the police and released. Before Martins’ video threatened to “kpeme” or kill those opposing the PDP, an unnamed top official of Edo State government organised the disruption of the address of the Labour Party (LP) candidate Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata at UNIBEN, according to the candidate himself. Observers believe that violence was actually targeting Okpebholo ahead of a trial at Akpata’s address. Akpata would later accuse the same PDP of destroying his billboards. Before then, PDP violent elements were also identified for the destruction of Shaibu’s campaign vehicles in Edo Central District last December as well as the recorded organized assault of defected party members in Edo South.
Finding himself in the eye of the storm after the video, Inegbeniki characteristically denied his link. He denied he was in Benin when Akor was killed. Since Adegboye’s command apparently lacks the power or intelligence to investigate government-sponsored violence in Edo State, only the fullness of time would reveal who shot the citizens that died at the Benin Airport Exit Gate.
As observers continue to wonder who and what propelled the deadly attack, the knee jack or ridiculous reactions of Edo State government, Edo PDP as well as their paid megaphones leave no doubt about who organised the airport attack or for what reasons.
In his six fat paragraphs of a vacuous statement, Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, lamented the “wanton destruction” by thugs he linked to Shaibu without evidence. Just like his heartless principal, Mr. Nehikhare made neither mention nor reference to the citizens that died. To further make a mockery of his personality and office, he referenced what His Royal Majesty, Ewuare, once said about Shaibu’s “violent tendencies” without remembering the royal father’s admonition of his principal, Governor Obaseki, for ingratitude, greed and selfishness.
Unlike Nehikhare, Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, mentioned loss of life only after lamenting the wanton destruction of property. Likewise, he berated Shaibu for the attack armed Edo government agents unleashed at Airport Road. Mr. Osagie also peevishly referenced Oba Ewuare’s cautionary words to Shaibu in his televised replies on Channels TV, Thursday night. While denouncing Shaibu and Legacy Group leader, Chief Dan Orbih’s influence, Osagie admitted that the PDP does not historically do well in Edo North because of Oshiomhole’s popularity. His twiddle-twaddle unwittingly ratified the expected sweeping and overwhelming victory of Okpebholo in Edo North knowing that all the names he mentioned are presently leading the APC candidate’s campaign in the district.
The statement by Edo PDP, signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Ogie Vasco, placed side-by-side to the ones from government spokesmen affirm the saying that a fruit does not fall far from its tree. The statement grudgingly agreed that “a purported security detail to the APC guber candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, lost his life” after rehashing the condemnation of Shaibu. Furthermore, Mr. Vasco lied that, “The PDP as a party is a creation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and a law-abiding party. Therefore, any government formed or controlled by the PDP, being a creation of the constitution is a keeper of the law.” Really? If the PDP is a keeper of the law, why is the party battling endless cases in Edo State and nationally? The party lost two high profile cases in a fortnight in Edo State that have clipped its governorship hope on a hanger. The leaders are bracing for more losses.
To compound issues, the government-appointed skit makers, comedians and jesters lay siege to the Internet where they lie daily about realities Edo people know too well. Even as the government and party hierarchies were confused about what to say, their paid minions hit the social media with a lie that nobody died. Particularly, an Obaseki administration-empowered social media bully, Albert Obazee, produced posted a false video to lie that no death occurred from the shooting. Another, a female journalist notorious for defaming people, Rita Ebiuwa (also known as Ebiuwairo), illogically linked the violence to Shaibu’s attempt to drive in his official vehicle “prominently displaying a plate number with the emblem of deputy governor, this signified his intent to reclaim his office.”
She extended her warped argument in other abusive essays, including: The Urgent Need for Philip Shaibu to Undergo Mental Evaluation. If the assertion of Ms. Ebiuwa, who now speaks for the Ighodalo Campaign Organization is true, how does it constitute an offence in the face of a binding court reinstatement? Rather, it indicts the state government and Edo police boss, who failed in his onerous responsibility to maintain law and order, despite the fact that he later visited Shaibu to brief him after the avoidable tragedy. In fact, why was Mr. Adegboye at the airport, where he merely watched the murder of his fellow police personnel? In any case, Ebiuwa’s childish opinion is worthless and irrelevant considered against her past letter of apology published for defaming Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in respect of his 2020 governorship election project, a crime for which she would have been jailed if Ize-Iyamu was not prevailed upon to withdraw the case. She is another classical example of unfit people publicly marketing Ighodalo.
For over seven years Edo government and PDP, especially Governor Obaseki, benefited from the “volatility nature” of Shaibu, they were singing his praises. Now, that he is fighting an unlawful impeachment and winning, he has become a devil. The same government and party that gleefully drag Oba Ewuare into murky politics when it suits them but quickly warn residents off rallying support for the royal father against Obaseki and Ighodalo’s onslaughts! Edo government and PDP specialise in cherry-picking.
Even Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, who cheated party members kidnapped recently and released after weeks of ceaseless sacrifices, also placed priority on property over human life in his soulless address of the press at the party secretariat in Benin.
The tenable truth is that Shaibu, not Omobayo Marvelous Godwins, is the legal, authentic, substantive Deputy Governor of Edo State today. Recent pictures from the Government House confirms this assertion. As a misconception from the false narratives of the PDP-elected Obaseki administration, the mere filing of an application for a stay of execution without an order does not obviate the declarative judgment of the court that reinstated Shaibu’s office as well as his rights, privileges and obligations. Only a judicial order validates stay of execution.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, owes Edo State people in particular and Nigerians in general, the urgent and imperative order to arrest and parade the perpetrators of Thursday’s political violence and deaths in Edo State to prevent more violence and deaths ahead.
The situation also makes the PDP Governors’ Forum statements most ridiculous. In a communique issued at its meeting in Enugu State a day before the killing, signed by the Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, and attended by Governor Obaseki who rigged Edo PDP primary and is now seeking to rig the governorship election, the forum called for issued-based and violence-free campaigns in Edo and Ondo States. The forum urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to provide a level-playing field. It further begged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process. The forum shamefully avoided commenting on Edo PDP’s bad case at the Court of Appeal.
Expectedly, the communique drew the ire of the APC, which National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described PDP Governors as “barefaced heirs of a legacy of sleaze and ruin” who are “morally and politically unfit to point fingers.”
In spite of the loud noise from Edo State government, present economic realities underscore the state’s poor performance across basic economic indices under the PDP mismanagement. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), about one million qualified citizens of the state are officially captured as unemployed. Underemployment rate and those in the informal sectors of the state economy account for another one million.
In terms of multi-dimensional poverty index, Edo State’s 35.2 per cent marks the highest in South-South. On debt to GDP ration, Edo State’s 175.6 per cent makes it one of the most indebted states in Nigeria. On debt to revenue, Edo State’s 5.2 per cent makes it unable to pay its staggering debt as present. The state’s debts at over N600,000,000,000 billion that is yet exclusive of secret local and international commitments continue to grow even as Obaseki literally abandons basic governance for politics. For angry Edo voters, hearing the prediction of 20 per cent votes for all the other parties shows a drunken man in stupor vomiting hope far from the reality of a ruling party deserted by members.
As for the killers who cut down human lives in their prime, are they themselves free from death? No. Every human being will go at a time. But as John Donne affirmed in his evergreen poetry, Death, Be Not Proud, death is not a victor. Death is not a conqueror because it can only ‘kill’ the tired and weary body. Death can never corrupt the eternal soul. One of the 19 Holy Sonnets, published in 1633 in the first edition of Songs and Sonnets, it shows in the end that death itself, dies.
The Federal Government must ensure therefore that the spirit of democracy, not of death, prevails in the forthcoming election; and that Edo State retraces its steps to the path of political and economic peace, progress and prosperity from which it derailed under Obaseki, Ighodalo and Ogie. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must take immediate far-reaching decisions now, whatsoever and howsoever, to stop the brute and violence of Edo government intended to coerce votes and rig the election for its bleeding PDP. The president must do everything within his power to protect the APC candidate and leaders as well as the party’s votes while ensuring a free, fair and credible election of its leading candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the next governor of Edo State. As governor, Okpebholo promised to drive a fundamental economic rescue and recovery to revive, revitalize, reform, and grow Edo State economy for shared prosperity through the provision of massive infrastructure and enabling environment to spur industrialization.
As the APC harvests goodwill for the inauguration of its National Campaign Council for Edo State governorship election, the people are yearning to vote for Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa.
- Sebastine EBHUOMHAN is an award-winning journalist and media consultant from Edo State, writing from Abuja. He can be reached on: usie007@yahoo.com or 08037204620.
