The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Jarret Tenebe, has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of using his executive power to intimidate and harass opposition politicians in the state.
He, however, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over the alleged incident.
Tenebe, in a letter to the IGP, also called for his immediate intervention, considering the September 21, governorship poll to elect the politician who would succeed Obaseki on November 12.
Copies of the letter were sent to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, while maintaining that there was the urgent need for their intervention.
Edo chairman of APC claimed that Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), threatened to deal mercilessly with anyone who opposed his policies.
He expressed displeasure that Edo Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, acting under the state governor’s orders, invited him to appear over a petition filed by Obaseki.
Tenebe considered Adegboye’s action as a politically-motivated attempt to arrest him, thereby disrupting the inauguration of the APC’s campaign council, scheduled for June 14, 2024 in Benin.
He noted that Edo police had already delivered the invitation to the state’s secretariat of APC in his absence, thereby concluding that there were plans to lay siege to the secretariat, so as to facilitate his arrest.
Edo chairman of APC said: “The actions of Adegboye are intended to intimidate and silence the opposition, thereby scoring political points for Edo governor, who plans to employ unofficial security forces to carry out his threats.
“I want the IGP to transfer the case to his office in Abuja, for an impartial investigation, in order to ensure justice and protection against unwarranted harassment.”
Tenebe reassured Edo residents that the plan to rescue the state was on track, while declaring that no amount of intimidation and use of baseless allegations would deter APC from returning the state to a path of tangible and measurable greatness.
