Posted by Osaro Okhomina & Simon Ebegbulem on
POLITICAL Leaders in Edo State, made up of politicians drawn from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday expressed fears over the use of ethnicity, alleged disrespect to the rule of law and attack on traditional institution by politicians in the state; and warned of possible violence in 2007.
BENIN CITY - POLITICAL Leaders in Edo State, made up of politicians drawn from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday expressed fears over the use of ethnicity, alleged disrespect to the rule of law and attack on traditional institution by politicians in the state; and warned of possible violence in 2007.
While the ANPP Leader, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, noted with concern the campaign of ethnic rivalry among political leaders of the PDP ahead of the governorship race in 2007, the Party Chairman of the PDP, Prince Solomon Aguele, called for caution among party members over the issue of which Senatorial District should produce governor in 2007, the issue of the controversial Law on the reduction of Local Government tenure and the warning handed by the state government to traditional rulers on the award of traditional titles on politicians; and urged that the party would not support any act of violence.
Both Party Leaders, Comrade Erhahon (ANPP) and Prince Aguele (PDP) made their seperate positions on the 2007 governorship campaign known to Vanguard in Benin City at the weekend.
According to Erhahon,"the Party appeals to all good people of Edo State to reject the campaign of ethnic acrimony being spread around the state by the warring factions of the PDP. We believe that the leaders of the PDP owe the Edo People true confession and apology for the dismal performance of this administration rather than dragging us into ethnic war.
We warn the tin gods not to drag the brotherly ethnic groups in the state into their greedy and egoistic war. Edo people should therefore ignore all campaigns that tend to pitch one ethnic group against the other, knowing that none of the sponsors of the ethnic campaigns shows love to his ethnic group when it is well with him. We want to assure that in the search for an ideal governorship candidate, we know neither North, Central or South. Rather, we are looking for a God fearing Edo son or daughter who will sacrifice his family welfare for the Edo people."
Prince Aguele, however, said the party had considered recent development in the state and was worried that the controversial Bill reducing the tenure of elected Council officials and the warning to traditional rulers by the state government was causing tension in the state. "The state Working Committee of the party has appraised the situation and resolved that the rule of law in the Abuja High Court ruling must be adhered to and we want the people to prevail on the state government not to unleash anarchy on the state as result of the threat by politicians to disobey the order of the court.
"We also looked at the order of the state government directing traditional rulers in the state to withdraw the award of chieftancy title on deserving citizens and we considered it an assualt on the traditional institution and traditional rulers. We appeal to the government to avoid the collision course with traditional rulers as the policy of the party is to respect traditional institutions nationwide. We appeal to government to leave traditional rulers alone and face the task of delivering the dividened of democracy," he said.