Edo Election: Details Of Oba Of Benin Meeting With, Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu, Others Emerge

The details of meeting the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, had with major the contenders in the forthcoming election in Edo state have emerged.

The major contender are Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who’s the incumbent governor and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The race to become the next governor of Edo state has been dirty and vicious as the two major contenders employ different virulent tactics to outdo one and another. This has brought the state to the brink of a devastating crisis as the atmosphere becomes tensed and filled with apprehension.

In order to avert the Imminent crisis and bloodshed that are likely to characterise the aftermath of the election, the Oba of Benin called the stakeholders and parties to a peace meeting on Tuesday.

In the meeting, the first class monarch implored politicians involved in the forthcoming elections in Edo State to embrace peace and orderliness and put an end to the violence.

He appealed to them not to turn the state to a laughing stock, saying that the state has been in the news for the wrong reason lately.

The Monarch who expressed sadness over the recent happenings in the state, appealed to politicians to take a leaf from 2015 general election when former President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated the winner, President Muhammadu Buhari, thereby calming the tension that was on.

” What I thought and expected from you was tranquillity and a smooth ride and not the unprecedented conflict and shootings. We are not happy about your political fight; we cannot fold our arms and watch you fight. You are from the same state and from the same ancestors, so why should you be killing yourselves because of a position you will just spend four years in and leave?

“I want you to go back to 2015 when former President Goodluck Jonathan, despite the tension, picked his phone and called President Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him, thereby calming the pre-election tension that was already on,” he said.

The monarch who challenged the politicians on the alleged arming of thugs with guns in preparation for the election warned that politics is not a do or die affair.

Also Read: Edo Election: Govt. Fund Is To Empower People — Gov. Obaseki

He stressed that such armed thugs would retain the arms given to them and use it to terrorise the society, after the election.

“Don’t kill yourselves for the election. Everybody is afraid that the state would be set ablaze during and after the election. Please calm the tension. Don’t turn Edo to a laughing stock,” he added.

The Oba specifically called on former national chairman of APC, Chief Odigie Oyegun; Chief Dan Orbih, PDP national vice chairman, South-South, and others to calm the tension in the state.

He then called on all the political bigwigs in the state to give assurance that peace will rain in the state henceforth.

Responding, Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki assured the king that peace and tranquillity will rain in the state.

He said, as the Chief Security Officer, he had sworn to protect the lives and property of Edo people, and this he has been working towards.

Also speaking, APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, thanked the Oba for the peace meeting, stressing that he and his supporters are for peace.

On his part, Chief Dan Orbih said the peace meeting was for the interest of the good people of Edo State and assured the Oba that his message was well taken.

Those who attended the peace meeting include Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Deputy, Philip Shaibu of APC, Chief Odigie Oyegun; Former National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; governorship candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his Deputy, Mr. Gani Audu, chairmen of the two parties in the state, among others.