Tension rises as Oshiomhole arrives Benin, speaks on IGP’s ban

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Thursday landed in Benin, the Edo State capital.

On his arrival, he assured his supporters that the rally to receive defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will still hold.

The APC leadership had organised the rally to welcome the governorship candidate of the PDP in 2016, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, into its fold. But the state government kicked against it.

This led to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, ordering for it to be suspended.

But Oshiomhole told his supporters to wait for the next line of action.

“I know you are hurt with what we are passing through here but I want to plead with you don’t be provoked. Any reasonable party leader will be happy to welcome people from another party into his party.

“Particularly when those coming were people who fought us in the last election. And when you look at the margin then it was like 50,000. So we are in Benin to welcome them but you can see how their thugs are unleashing mayhem on people.

“But I want to tell you, APC is our house and we will not destroy it neither are we going to allow anybody destroy it. We don’t want anyone to be killed so, please don’t fight back. Those who know me know that I am not a coward, I am not afraid of a fight. But I will not and I urge you to remain calm.

“We are getting conflicting reports now, the IG ordered the Commissioner of Police to give us protection for our rally. But we are being told now that the same authority said it has been cancelled. But I am going to make calls and find out what the problem is, if the police are saying they cannot protect a political rally.

“I will find out and let you people know. But even if they said we cannot hold it, please don’t fight anybody. I will meet them and find out when it will hold. But the rally will still hold someday… Nobody can shake our spirit. We will receive our brothers into the party to fortify our party,” Oshiomhole said.