Edo Govt Issues Warning Against Involving Oba of Benin, Palace in Political Matters

The Edo State Government has warned the All Progressive Congress (APC) and other political actors in the State against dirty and retrogressive politics of creating tension between the Government and the Benin Royal Palace and the revered Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin.

The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, while briefing journalists on Monday, at the Government House, Benin City, urge caution and called out any attempts to drag the palace into political matters.

Nehikhare noted that it’s important for political actors to respect the traditional institutions and not involve them in politics.

He said recent findings revealed that members of the APC in the State have been propagating distasteful and demeaning information against the Benin Royal Palace, urging Edo people to be wary of political parties who thrive on lies and propaganda.

He said, “We all admit that we are going into election season and a lot of campaign of calumny and mudslinging is ongoing. It has become clear that it’s the intention of the opposition APC to drag the reputation of our revered Royal Majesty into the murky waters of their dirty politics. Members of the APC are openly propagating this distasteful and demeaning information against the Royal palace.

“Clearly, they have decided to weaponise negative campaigns against our respected traditional institutions as their only strategy for the coming election because they don’t have a sellable candidate and also lack the intelligence to market their bad product.

“We want to warn them that these disrespectful comments about our traditional institutions are not a strategy for campaign but since they have brought forward a bad candidate for Edo people, PDP will trounce them come September 21, 2024 Governorship Election.”

Warning against misinformation and fake news ahead of the forthcoming guber polls, Nehikhare noted, “Journalists have a role to play in this matter as they need to be neutral. When a party takes on lies and propaganda such party has nothing to offer Edo people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect and hence ended up with a candidate they can’t campaign for or are ashamed to campaign for.

“We have not heard anything from APC on how they want to better the lives of Edo people but rather all we hear is how they want to serve their paymasters.”

Reeling some of the State Government’s achievements that will lead to victory for the PDP in the State, the Commissioner said, “This government is the only government in Nigeria, that today pays N70,000 minimum wage. We are not the State with the highest allocation or IGR but our people matters to us. This government gives automatic employment to its citizens with first class.”

He noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has paid more attention to infrastructure development in the State, ensuring motorable roads and good schools across the State, adding, “We have an operational modular refinery, two ethanol plants, a beautiful Secretariat, and the Benin City Mall. We have good stories to tell but these detractors don’t have anything to show but are dragging the Oba’s Palace into dirty politics.”

On the recent defection of a former PDP Chieftain, Charles Idahosa to the APC, Nehikhare stated, “Idahosa is a dishonourable man and has nothing to offer any political party. He believes in bread-and-butter politics. He has no oxygen to breathe and is running to the APC to get oxygen from Abuja.”

He, however, reassured that the State Government will not be distracted in its commitment to providing quality leadership and services to Edo people.