By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, swiftly declare a state of emergency in the state over an alleged collapse of governance.
Stonix News reports the call is coming one year after the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office, for a second term of four years under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But in a swift reaction, the state government said that it was shocking that the APC could have the temerity to make such a call, saying the call was more needed at the Federal Government which has reduced the value of life of Nigerians to nothing.
It added that it regarded the call, which was hinged on bad governance, as a slap on the faces of the citizens of Edo State and “a sign of selective amnesia” by the Edo APC.
The State Chairman of the APC, Col. David Imuse (retd), who made the call while addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Benin, added that Governor Obaseki’s “flagrant abuse of power is not provided for anywhere in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The opposition party said the call became imperative because Governor Obaseki “has emasculated the judiciary, crippled the legislature and personalised the executive branch”, while acting as “the Sole Administrator of Edo State”, where “his word is law; he is the lawmaker, the judge and the prison put together.”
Imuse noted that though elected democratically, Governor Obaseki “is actually functioning as the Sole Administrator of Edo State.”
He lamented that over a year into Obaseki’s second term, “Edo is the only state in Nigeria today without a functional Legislature. What is happening with the 10 PDP jokers who gather regularly at Governor Obaseki’s office is comical.
“What Obaseki is practising in Edo today is a democratic taboo. And when a taboo is allowed to exist for too long, it becomes a tradition. If this taboo is allowed to be exported to other states, using Obaseki as a reference, it will endanger our democratic culture. Edo is in serious trouble.
“For almost one year, Local government administration in Edo State has been thrown into a coma, with the governor’s decision not to conduct elections for Chairmen and Councilors.
“For a governor who daily interferes with the state’s local government council’s statutory allocations, is it not self-indictment to say that unless he is able to clear the N60 billion debt they owe, he cannot conduct LG elections?”
The APC chairman said the Edo State governor has also brought untold agony and pain to many as, “Individual homes/private properties are being demolished and Certificates of Occupancy of prominent Edo indigenes perceived as political adversaries are being revoked.”
Col Imuse concluded that if the President declared that a state of emergency in Edo “will be a proactive step to flattening the curve of bad governance the state is now suffering.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the call and allegations of the opposition APC party in the state, the state government said that it was shocking that the APC could summon the audacity to make such a call, urging it to direct emergency rule which is more appropriate at the centre.
It added that it regarded the call, which was hinged on bad governance, as a slap on the faces of the citizens of Edo State and “a sign of selective amnesia” by the Edo APC.
The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Andrew Emwanta, in his reaction, said that the APC should direct the call to the Federal Government, “which they lead, that has reduced the value of Nigerian lives to near nothing.”
The statement signed by Emwanta read in parts:
“That the Edo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, have (sic) the temerity to convene a press conference and raise (sic) issues about governance and development is not only a slap on the faces of citizens of Edo State but a sign of selective amnesia.
“Edo State, as of today, is perhaps the most peaceful place to live in the entire country with incidences of crime and criminality in the state, over the last three months nearing almost zero, and the APC dares to call for a state of emergency in the state when it superintends over a federal government under which Nigerian lives are slaughtered and maimed on a daily basis all across Nigeria.
“Can Edo APC not see that their call for a state of emergency should be more appropriately directed to a federal government, which they lead, that has reduced the value of Nigerian lives to near nothing?
“In Nigeria today, under the leadership of the APC, which their shameless and ragtag Executive Committee (EXCO) in Edo who addressed the press conference represent, you cannot travel from Abuja to Kaduna; Abuja to Keffi; or from Abuja to Minna, by road, without a seventy per cent chance of being attacked, kidnapped or killed by bandits. And yet these palace jesters gather in the safety of Benin City, provided by the excellent leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki and mouth non-existent chaos.
“The APC wants a state of emergency declared in a state that did not only pay salaries and pensions of state government workers by December 14 but also released funds to the local governments to ensure that their employees are also paid salaries in time for the yuletide celebrations, while the APC-led Federal Government was struggling to meet their FAAC obligations for the end of the year.
“Does the party want a state of emergency in a state where every flight or bus coming into the state is fully booked with air carriers and road transporters jostling to keep up with the pressure of travellers trooping into the state?
“They want a state of emergency where investments are rolling in large numbers with consortiums setting up tech parks, establishing malls, processing factories, coupled with the expansion of the real estate sector, which are creating job opportunities for youths in the state?
“In Nigeria, it is common knowledge that the level of fidelity and honesty expected from the ilk of politicians that these APC jesters represent is extremely low.
“It is rather shameful for old men – grandfathers, for that matter – to sit comfortably, look into the camera and tell bare-faced lies about the Edo State Judiciary, the state legislature, the newly reconstructed Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), street-lighting project, Edo Tech Park, Edo Innovation Hub, among others.
“It is now apparent that the Edo APC are stuck in the past, refusing to accept the reality that government has evolved and no longer dwell on the anachronistic ideas they are used to when they were in government.
“Today, the advances in technology deployed in public service administration, basic education reform, youth empowerment, and other areas of technology intervention are too sophisticated for them to comprehend, which is why they have elected to launch these futile attacks.
“We are not surprised by this outburst as it is their stock in trade. Hence, we advise the public to be wary of the antics of the APC, their stale lies and baseless propaganda.”
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