Punch Newspaper is reporting, tension in Benin, the Edo State capital on Thursday, over a rally that a faction of the All Progressives Congress loyal to its National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, will hold today.
The Oshiomhole faction will today (Friday) hold a rally for a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Osagie Eze-Iyamu.
Ahead of the rally, 15 people were injured during a clash between supporters of Oshiomhole and those of the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
The APC in Edo State had, last month, been factionalised with one group loyal to Oshiomhole and the other backed by Obaseki.
The Oshiomhole faction led by Col David Imuse (retd.), said Friday’s rally was being organised by the party to receive the PDP candidate in the 2016 governorship election, Ize Iyamu.
But there was confusion over the rally on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, there was a letter dated 11th December, which was, addressed to Oshiomhole. The letter stated that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had granted the APC faction the permission to hold the rally.
The letter was titled, “Re-Request for the deployment of police officers to provide security for the All Progressives Congress, APC, rally at Garrick” and signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, Principal Staff Officer to the IGP.
The letter read: “I am directed by the Inspector General of Police to extend his warm compliments and acknowledge receipt of your Excellency’s letter of 10th December, 2019 on the above underlined subject.
“I am to respectfully inform your Excellency that the Inspector General of Police has approved the request and has directed the commissioner of police Edo State Command to provide adequate security for the event as requested.”
But the governor said he was not aware of the rally.
Similarly, the APC factional chairman on the side of Governor, Mr Anselm Ojezua, said the state governor and other leaders of the party were not aware of the purported declaration rally.
