Concerned by the siege laid on Edo State House of Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, to ensure the alleged forceful takeover of the Assembly does not materialize by withdrawing policemen blocking entrance of the Assembly complex.
The Guild had earlier reported that security operatives, including policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) laid siege on the Edo State House of Assembly complex on Thursday morning.
But, condemning police presence at the complex, the party argued that it was embarrassing that personell of the force could be allegedly deployed for a show of force at the state’s Assembly complex, a move it claimed was allegedly mastermind by the All Progressives Congress, APC from Abuja.
Through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party claimed that the security agents were allegedly deployed “by the former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.”
Ologbondiyan, however, urged the police boss to swing into action by ensuring the security agents are redeployed from the Assembly complex and normalcy was returned to the state.
“The Police hierarchy is urged to note that this provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with the view to unleash violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies.
“We condemn this notorious resort to self-help by the APC and their agents to forcefully takeover power in Edo state through the back door.
“Our party has been informed that the plot is to use the illegal security operation to seize the processes of the House of Assembly and illegally inaugurate certain individuals whose seats have been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down the democratic structure in the state.
“The PDP has also been made aware of grand plots by Oshiomhole, working in alliance with the impeached Deputy Speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, to import a fake mace, cause anarchy and then push for the imposition of a state of emergency in the state, seeing that they cannot win the forthcoming governorship election.
“Our party, therefore, charges the IG to wade in and immediately withdraw the illegally deployed security officers and protect democracy and peace in Edo state.
“Our nation cannot afford to have a breakdown of law and order in Edo state at this critical time as such is capable of having a spiral effect on other states in the Niger Delta region, which will further result in dire consequences to our nation.”
