The Edo State Government, on Sunday, said the All Progressives Congress and Labour Party were mobilising mobs to besiege the Benin High Court on Monday to intimidate lawyers and judges on official duties.
Briefing newsmen in Benin, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare and the Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, warned against any move to the peace in the state.
The duo said that the government would not tolerate or allow any group of persons/politicians from the APC and Labour Party to cause chaos in the state.
Nehikhare called on parents and guardians to caution their wards and children against being used to cause violence, adding that the state government will not tolerate hoodlums in any guise to gather or match towards the court intimidating judges and lawyers on Monday.
He said, “The government is aware that some unscrupulous politicians are behind the plan to sponsor violence with the aim of disrupting the peace in the State to score cheap political points.
“We call on youths in the state not to allow themselves to be used to perpetuate violence and cause crisis in the state.
“We urge all law-abiding citizens to reject and ignore any calls to disrupt the peace in the state and to refrain from engaging in any actions that could jeopardize public order. It is only through respect for the law and due process, we can ensure a just and orderly society for all.”
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On his part, Osagie called on security agencies to be on the alert, adding that government would not spare any effort to ensure justice is served in dealing with anyone caught protesting against the judiciary.
Osagie, who noted that Edo State has made significant progress under the watch of the Obaseki-led government, tasked residents to come out en masse on September 21 for the governorship election to support the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, to sustain the gains of the PDP government in the past seven years.
Reacting to the alleged protest, the Director of Publicity APC Edo Governorship Campaign Council, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, said, “On the fear that the opposition parties have planned to protest against the senseless dragging of the Benin Royal Palace to court by some Enigies, with the support of Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress will emphatically want to put on record that the Oba of Benin is father to all responsible Edo sons and daughters and the PDP should therefore not single out the APC if indeed a protest is in the works.
“Truth be told, there is no amount of lies and cheap propaganda that will prevent PDP from being punished for the insensitivity of Obaseki in the last seven years plus.”
The Publicity Secretary of the LP in the state, Sam Uruopa, said that the governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata, and his running mate are lawyers, who would not dispute the proceedings of the judiciary.
He said that the allegation is spurious and that the PDP government in the state has lost touch with the people as well as looking for people to blame for its failures.