APC Distractions Will Not Stop Justice in Edo Governorship Election
By Oseye Imudia PhD
As Edo State anxiously awaits the tribunalās judgement on the 2024 governorship election, the APC appears to be ramping up its tactics to distract and destabilize the political climate.
One of the most glaring moves by the state government has been the illegal removal of all 18 local government chairmen and their deputies. This act, in blatant disregard of a Supreme Court judgment and reinstatement orders from both the Edo State High Court and the Federal High Court, highlights a troubling disregard for the rule of law. Despite these rulings, the state government has used thugs to deny the reinstated chairmen access to their offices. In a further descent into lawlessness, the administration has reportedly orchestrated impeachment processes using one or two councilors in what many have called a ābanana republicā scenario.
Adding to this chaos, during a recent tribunal sitting, an armed imposter allegedly dressed in a PDP T-shirt was seen shooting sporadically, further escalating tensions in the state.
On January 16, 2025, a new level of political violence unfolded as APC thugs led by Jarret Tenebe, Ebo Stone, and Tony Kabaka launched an attack on the PDP Secretariat on Airport Road. In what resembled a war zone, PDP staff were beaten, injured, and the partyās flags were forcibly removed and replaced with APC flags in a bid for a āforceful takeover.ā
The question now arises: how long will Edo people endure this tension, violence, and lawlessness? The desperation to cling to power by force comes at a cost to democracy and the peace of the state. Governance is not about force, and when positions are taken by illegitimate means, they can only be sustained through illegitimate tactics.
Edo people deserve justice, peace, and governance rooted in democratic principles. As the tribunalās judgment nears, one thing remains certain: no amount of distraction or intimidation will stop the quest for justice in Edo State.
