Edo Politics of Bombs Gets Messier as Another Explosion Rocks APC Chieftain’s House

Less than two weeks after a bomb exploded at the Benin city home of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Francis Inegbeniki, another bomb exploded on Tuesday at the residence of APC factional State Secretary in Edo State, Mr Lawrence Okah.

No life was lost in the explosion that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday according to reports while a second explosive failed to detonate. The bomb dug a hole on the the ground and shattered a part of the building.

Narrating the incidence to newsmen, Okah accused the state governor, Godwin Obaseki of plotting to kill him. He said gunmen had last week Tuesday stormed his residence and fired shots at his bedroom in what he said was an assassination attempt.

“On Tuesday last week, I heard gunshots. They shot at my bedroom. The police came and picked 52 bullets here.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) at about 12:30, I heard a noise like a boom. I called my security and they said it looked like a bomb.

“The one they threw at my bedroom did not detonate. If that one had detonated, you would not have seen me.

“That was targeted at my room. If it had exploded it would have been a different story. I just want to advise Mr.  Governor, he has threatened me before and he has carried out the threat.

“By the grace of God, we are alive to speak to our people to let them know what is going on. We pray to God for those we help not to turn around against us” he said.

A former Secretary to the State Government and governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was at Okah’s residence along with others, condemned the act of violence.

He said, “Our desire for peace is not a sign of weakness. This rubbish must stop. They must call their people to order. This is not the work of robbers. Armed robbers cannot throw a bomb and walk away.

“This was politically-motivated. Lawrence Okah is Secretary of this party. You cannot force him to do your bidding. If you want him to work for you, you must submit yourself to the party”.

Obaseki, in his reaction through a statement issued by his Media aide, Crusoe Osagie accused the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and his associates of stoking violence in the state.

“We are quite flustered that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has not been able to rein in his people in the face of the reconstitution of the APC National Reconciliation Committee tasked to restore lasting peace in the party both in the state and across the country.

“We are committed to peace and would do right by the people of Edo State by continually supporting all credible means to arrive at lasting peace in the state.

“At the same time, we want to state clearly that Ize-Iyamu, Comrade Oshiomhole and their cohorts are the common denominators of political violence in Edo State” the statement said.