The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has again appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to avoid a descent into anarchy following the alleged outright disregard for the rule of law.
The state caretaker committee chairman of the party, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, made the appeal at a press conference in Benin City following the impeachment of the Oredo Local Government Chairman, Tom Obaseki, on Friday.
Aziegbemi alleged that the impeachment was carried out by 12 imposters who masqueraded as councilors and invaded the council’s secretariat in Benin City. He called for the President’s intervention to address what he described as a blatant disregard for the rule of law.
He accused the Edo State government of using imposters to impeach the Oredo Local Government Council Chairman, Tom Obaseki, while other council chairmen across the 18 LGAs are being intimidated and harassed.
Describing the impeachments by the APC-led government as a “coup d’état,” Aziegbemi stated that the development is worrisome.
According to him: “We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene because the development is becoming worrisome. It is a coup by the APC-led government in Edo State against democracy.
“The Edo State government must be called to order to avoid a state of anarchy following the outright disregard for the rule of law.
“The latest impeachment was at the Oredo Local Government, where 12 imposters posing as councilors invaded the council and claimed to have impeached the council chairman, Tom Obaseki,” he alleged.
Also speaking, Tom Obaseki, the impeached chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, insisted that he remains the duly elected chairman.
“My attention has been drawn to a video circulating on various media platforms purportedly showing my impeachment as the executive chairman of Oredo Local Government Council.
“I urge the general public to disregard this video in its entirety, as it is the product of a criminal act perpetrated by hoodlums and thugs who unlawfully invaded the legislative arm of the council.
“These individuals impersonated the legitimately elected legislators, who are currently on recess, in a failed attempt to undermine the democratic will of the people of Oredo.
“I remain the duly elected chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, having been given the mandate to serve by the good people of Oredo on September 2, 2023.
“If this level of impunity is allowed to stand, then tomorrow, anyone could wake up, invade a government house, and declare themselves governor or president. Such a scenario is unthinkable in a lawful society. We are not in a banana republic where anarchy reigns,” he said.
Obaseki emphasized that the act represents the height of criminality and lawlessness, which cannot and will not be tolerated in a civilized society like the Oredo Local Government Area.
