A group, Coalition of Community Based Organisations (CBO) has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate for the September 19 Governorship election in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole for inciting violence in the state ahead of the election.
Spokesman for the, Mr. Adaze Emwanta, told newsmen in Benin, the state capital said the coronavirus pandemic is already taking a toll on Nigerians and further incitement of violence is unacceptable.
“Our attention has been drawn to a video that has gone viral of a clandestine meeting which the APC candidate had with a group of political thugs.
“In that meeting, Ize-Iyamu told the thugs to move from one pulling unit to the other, ward to ward to obtain favourable results for him on a rigging operation code-named operation show your result.
“Similarly, the former national Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole held a rally in his compound where he started inciting the youths in the area against the state governor.
“Unfortunately, days after the Benin and Iyamoh rallies, a very sad and abominable incident occurred. An entourage of the governor including PDP governors were attacked at the entrance of the palace of the Oba of Benin.
“Scores of PDP members, innocent Nigerians were injured and cars bearing the stickers of governor Godwin Obaseki were destroyed.
“For us in this coalition, these acts of sponsored political violence are totally unacceptable.
“We already have a deadly pandemic that has taken lives of thousands of Nigerians. As such, we will not allow this new virus of political violence snatch more lives in the state,” he said.
