Edo 2016: Group warns against heating up the polity

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

As the march towards the 2016 governorship election in Edo State continues to gather momentum, a pressure group, Edo Accord Initiative (EDI), has cautioned against heating the polity.

P.M. NEWS reports that the Igbinedion family has in recent times engaged in verbal warfare with Governor Adams Oshiomhole over ‎alleged inciting statements by the Governor against Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, father of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.

Also, several street protests have so far been staged in support of both sides, a situation that has heated up the political terrain in the state.

Vice Chairman of the Group, Flynn Imariagbe, at an enlarged meeting held to appraise the situation and its last public lecture, cautioned against what he called “unwarranted attack on the person of the governor,” noting that he has performed credibly well for the state in the past seven years.

“The essence of the meeting is to appreciate our people for supporting governor Adams Oshiomhole for the past seven years in office and to also encourage them to remain calm and never allow themselves to be dragged into unnecessary provocation by those

Many people are …for different reasons, saying all sorts of things against governor Oshiomhole, but we are convinced that he has done very well and needed to be encouraged to do more for us.

On our part, we will not want to join issues with those engaging in campaign of calumny against the governor. We will rather encourage members ‎of Edo Accord Initiative and all well-meaning people of the state to continue to support Oshiomhole and work hard to ensure that a credible candidate succeeds him when he eventually leaves office, come 2016. Continuity in governance is crucial and important to us at Edo Accord Initiative, that is our own position,” Imariagbe said.

He therefore charged all members of the group to go to their respective wards to ppreach the message of continuity, adding; “Let us take the bull b y the horn, embark on door to door campaign to ensure victory ‎for the state to continue to ride on the wings of progress.”