Hoodlums attack Edo APC chieftain’s home with explosives

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state has assumed an alarming dimension, as the private residence of a chieftain of the party, Chief Francis Inegbeneki was attacked at the weekend with explosives by hoodlums.

Sources said the attack resulted in the destruction of a vehicle within the compound, just as a part of the building was damaged, revealin g that the attackers struck at 3am.

Reacting to the attack, Chief Inegbeneki said: “I got that information with rude shock. Frankly, I am short of words; it must have been politically motivated. After this successful political rally, I am going to Benin to assess the damage.”

Inegbeneki wondered why politics should be taken to such a violent extent, stating that the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki has allegedly threatened to deal with those opposed to him.

He warned that “for those drumming the music of war, they should be prepared to dance to the music” and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue the people from the hands of Gov. Obaseki and his deputy.

This development is coming on the heels of the declaration that the second term ticked of Gov. Obaseki is a privilege and not a right, condemning the governor’s high handedness and neglect of party members.

The party leaders stated this in Opoji, Esan West Local Government Area at a rally where hundreds of former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by the former state Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prince Tony Omoaghe, former Speaker of the state assembly, Bright Omokhodion, Festus Ebea and their supporters formally defected to the APC.

But, the rally was not without drama as the organisers played a decoy when they announced a venue in Irrua which was immediately sealed by persons believed to be agents of the state.

The rally attracted leaders of the APC from the state including all the governorship aspirants.

Speaking at the event, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said that “they told us in Benin that this rally will not hold; they said many things will happen, but as we were coming, the road was good.

“But, you know these people are cowards; early this morning at about 3 am they went to Chief Inegbeneki and threw fire bombs. The first one did not detonate, the second one detonated.

“If somebody had died, I don’t know what they would have said. We have been keeping quiet not because we are afraid, but because‎ we own the house.

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“Obaseki said he would destroy the Edo APC, but we would not allow him.”

Another guber aspirant, Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) stated that “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones because the glasses will be shattered.”

In the words of Saturday Uwelekhue, also a governorship aspirant, “Gov. Obaseki cannot take his second term ambition as a right; it is only a privilege and we have said we will not give it to him.”