Last week, the Edo State Government alerted members of the public that “some political thugs operating under the guise of civil society groups and students of some tertiary institutions have concluded plans to cause public disturbance and nuisance starting from Monday, November 8, 2015 in Benin City.”
The Government said the alert was for members of the general public to be wary of such ill-conceived, politically-motivated and needless protest aimed at causing breach of public peace.
Such an alert was what any responsible government needed to do when it gathers intelligence of plot to destabilise the state by any group whatsoever so that innocent citizens are not made to suffer from the greed of a few selfish politicians who would always use miscreants or street urchins to shatter the peace of the public in pursuance of their inordinate political ambitions.
Just like the cry of the witch at night and by morning a child dies, some misguided elements after collecting huge sums of money from disgruntled politicians took to the streets of Benin on Monday last week, targeting the seat of power in the state.
Expectedly, their so-called protest grounded commercial activities in and around the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly, King Square, Sapele Road, Reservation Road/Golf Course Road, Dennis Osadebey and Edo State Government House roads. Innocent citizens plying their businesses in these environs were prevented from doing their businesses. Market women and traders in Oba Market and Ibiwe Street, a commercial nerve centre of the city were said to have hurriedly closed their shops and business premises for fear of not being attacked by the street marauders.
To perfect their mischief, the masterminds of the protest recruited disengaged Edo Yes staff to swell their numbers and made them to protest against their sack by the state government almost six months after they were stopped from their temporary jobs. The PDP top politicians also hired some women who claimed they were landladies feigning they were annoyed at the introduction of the Land-use charge, a law enacted by the State House of Assembly with representatives from all parts of the state.
A clinical autopsy of the so-called protest shows that some persons who have faked themselves as members of Civil Society Organisations were simply hired with huge sums of money by top leaders of the opposition PDP in the state to foment trouble and attempt to make the state ungovernable because they have found out that their usual trade in Nigerian politics of stealing public funds have been blocked both in Edo State by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s popular government and at Abuja by the Change servant leader President, Muhammadu Buhari.
So, clearly, what Edo people saw on the streets last week was the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. The shameless politicians hiding behind the scene, like cowards that they are could not come out to protest by themselves for fear of being lynched by Edo people hence their resort to recruiting vulnerable citizens and miscreants to do their bidding on the streets.
It is important to emphasise that the Oshiomhole administration has a clear-cut focus for the peace-loving people of Edo State and cannot be distracted from carrying out its legitimate responsibilities in line with its electoral mandate freely given to it by the great people of Edo State.
Equally important is the fact that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole enjoys massive political will in the state and there is no doubting the fact that he also has the courage to confront anyone who intends to make the state ungovernable by whatever guise and in whatever form.
Fingers are already pointing at a particular governorship aspirant of the opposition PDP and his paymasters who are mobilizing the urchins and providing the financial muzzle for them to misbehave on the streets of Benin.
Let it be made clear that the Oshiomhole government that Edo people know would not fold its hands and watch political thugs masquerading as civil society organizations attempt to breach the peace of the public or embark on actions untoward and unbecoming of Civil Society Organisations. The tolerance posture of the Oshiomhole government must not be misconstrued for weakness.
Already, the trouble makers are alleged to have penetrated tertiary institutions in Edo State with their ill-gotten wealth to continue to cause a breach of the peace enjoyed by Edo people. To forestall any possible breakdown of law and order and possible breach of public peace, the Edo State Police Command recently issued a warning against alleged plans by unknown groups to carry out violent protests in Benin using students of tertiary institutions.
It is equally important to sound a note of caution to parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards are prevented from being enrolled into the army of destabilisation so that they do not have cause to regret whatever may befall any student who allows himself to be cut in the ensuring cross fire with law enforcement agents.
Any student who do not listen to the whistle of the master will surely have him/herself to blame. Edo people need peace and peace that government has provided must be enjoyed to the fullest. Edo people need to join hands with our Comrade Governor in his effort to bring the dividends of democracy to teaming majority of our people. He needs the collective prayers and support to enable him carry out the lofty business of government which he has been providing this past seven years.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.
