••• Says He Instigated the Riots in Benin
The Edo State Government has called on security agencies to arrest immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for allegedly instigating the Wednesday on unrest in Benin City.
Three people were shot dead in the protest over the scarcity of the redesigned Naira note and the refusal of the banks to collect the old notes from customers.
An attempt was made in the Benin Branch of the CBN which was repelled by security operatives while nine commercial banks were vandalized at Akpakpava Road, Benin City.
The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, alleged that the protests targeted Peoples Democratic Party controlled states and urged the security agencies to invite Oshiomhoke to account for his movement in Benin city in the past few days
Nehikhare, said that after a critical look at the violence, the Government “discovered that there is more than meets the eyes.”
The Government Spokesman said that while the Naira redesign policy belongs to the All Progressives Congress controlled Federal Government, the party is still instigating people to protest and destroy billboards of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said, “Today, we had the unfortunate incident of the protest in Edo State, particularly in Benin City as a result of the new naira redesigning policy. We have gone round the town and we have discovered that there is more than meets the eyes. We are by this press conference calling on all security agencies to call on Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for questioning, arrest him and make him account for his movements in the last couple of days in Benin City.
“We have reasons to believe that Oshiomhole instigated the riots. There is a video, which has gone viral, where Oshiomhole is seen instigating his lions and tigers to riot, destroy and attack government property. Today’s riot is thought to be as a result of the naira redesigning. It is the same party responsible for the policy, that is the one instigating people to protest and in doing that PDP billboards are destroyed. One of the billboards destroyed is a 50-feet gantry.
“Oshiomhole has unleashed his lions and tigers because his party is about to face an imminent defeat at the coming general elections.”
Nehikhare, called for calm among the people of the state saying that the state government has been given the assurance by the CBN that it has enough money to give to POS operators in the state, to circulate the new notes
“Edo people should remain calm and know that they are the ones we are protecting. It is strange that when the APC federal government forced universities to close down for eight months, the APC governors did not talk. When the fuel scarcity became biting, the APC governors did not talk. But when the naira redesigning policy, initiated by the same APC government is now affecting the APC governors, they suddenly woke up to talk. The only way the APC governors can make an impact in the coming election is to give them the opportunity to buy votes.
“We are already engaging the CBN seriously and by tomorrow (today), they assured us that the market will be filled with the new naira notes. We therefore wish to warn those behind the riots to note that if they should continue, the security agencies will deal with them”, Nehikhare added.
But Oshiomhole denied the allegation saying he did not instigate anybody to protest in the state.
Oshiomhole who spoke through his media aide, Victor Oshioke, taunted the Edo State Government to look elsewhere for its excuses for poor performance in the state.
Oshiomhole said that it was not possible for him to instigate crisis against the policies of an APC-led Federal Government.
“As we speak now, Comrade is in Port Harcourt for the APC presidential campaign rally. Yesterday (Tuesday) he was in Imo State. Comrade did not instigate anything. Edo State Government should go and face its failure and why the people are about to reject it who did the Comrade instigate? The Obaseki government is just using Oshiomole’s name as face saving for its failure in all ramifications.
“The problem is that Edo people are about to compare the Oshiomhole government of over eight years ago with that of Obaseki and the government is panicking. It is the fear of that comparison that is making the government say what it is saying. Obaseki and Philip Shaibu have failed woefully and they are intimidated by the large crowd that follows Comrade Oshiomhole anytime he is in Benin.
“Which video are they talking about? The Comrade asked APC members to go to the streets and campaign for the party and its candidates and by that, the opponent will be intimidated. Is that instigation? If they have any evidence that Comrade instigated anybody, let them bring it forward. Otherwise, let the Edo state Government go and face where they have failed and the verdict of the people at the coming elections”,
