7th May, 2012
Following the assassination of Olaitan Oyerinde, an aide to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, southsouth Nigeria, and the fast approaching governorship election in the state, Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa has warned that Edo should not be turned into a war zone.
He advised political parties and their candidates to eschew violence during the election.
Oba Erediauwa sounded this warning in his palace on Monday when the adopted candidate of coalition of progressive parties in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri, was at the palace to seek his blessing.
Several political parties, including ANPP, a faction of Labour Party, CPC and ohers had adopted Chief Edebiri to run as their governorship candidate on the platform of ANPP.
The Oba, who spoke through the Iyase ( traditional Prime Minister) of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, said: “as you go into this election, I please advise you and your members to avoid violence. We are sad about certain things happening in the state. So, as we prepare for the election, we do not want our state to be turned into a war zone.”
The Oba, however, prayed that God would be with the ANPP candidate, requesting God to grant him all his political aspirations.
While responding to questions from the palace chiefs on why he chose to be in the race, Edebiri said the level of under-development in the state made him to join the race.
“After working as an Engineer and a businessman in the oil sector for 23 years, I want to replicate all the good working facilities and infrastructure experienced during my travels in the state to improve the socio-economic climate of Edo State,” Edebiri said.
“We will adopt the policy of wealth creation rather than wealth distribution to gainfully engage our teeming youths,” added Edebiri, by creating satellite towns in the three senatorial districts through industrialization.
By Jethro Ibileke/Benin City