BY JUSTIN MOMODU
UROMI : A chieftain of the All Progressive Party (APC), Mr Aire Ozed has reportedly escaped death after gunmen suspected to be party thugs cum cultists invaded his home in Obeidu 1 community in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo state.
The incident which occurred late in the night on July 30,2015, has created fears among the political elites in the area.
Mr Ozed Aire and his three year-old son sustained severe injuries during the attack which has been described as politically motivated.
Mr Ozed Aire was until recently, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth.leader in ward two.
He decamped with his supporters to the All Progressive Congress (APC) following disagreement with the Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Senator Clifford Ordia.
Mr Ozed Aire had accused the distinguished Senator Clifford Ordia of failure to provide electricity, potable water supply and access road to Obeidu 1 Community as he had promised prior to his election in 2012.
The former PDP youth leader, encouraged by the Chairman of Esan North East Local Government Council, Honourable Sam Oboh, decided to switch camp with his teeming supporters
Surprisingly, Mr Ozed Aire’s decision was received with joy by. majority people of Obeidu 1 Community who decamped enmasse to the All Progressive Congress.
This political development which was unprecedented in the history of partisan politics in Esan North East Local Government Area, however pitched Mr Ozed Aire against some party leaders not only in his immediate ward two but across the entire local government area.
Some notable PDP leaders, namely Mr Okojie Idemudia, Mr Michael Itoto, Mr Oshodin Sunday, Madam Comfort Iyere and Madam Dora Izidu were said to have made frantic efforts to persuade Mr Ozed Aire and his supporters to return to the People’s Democratic Party but to no avail.
As usual with Nigeria’s hostile politics, Mr Ozed Aire and his people were attacked during one of their meetings by cultists believed to working for those not happy with their movement into the APC.
Many of them sustained injuries during the attack while properties worth hundreds of thousands of naira were destroyed.
Five persons whose names were simply given as Solomon, Kingsley, Monday, Kevin and Stanley who are believed to be members of the Black Axe Confraternity were reportedly identified as part of those that unleashed the mayhem . The police in the area however failed to make any arrested as the suspects went into hiding after the incident.
The July 30 invasion of Mr Ozed Aire’s.home is seen as a clandestine attempt by his political foes. to have him eliminated as he received several threats messages from unverifiable sources .
The Edo APC state secretary, Mr Mike Okha while commenting on the incident, condemned the resurgence of political violence in the state.
Okha urged the police to rise up to the occasion and nip the ugly development in the bud before it escalates beyond control.
He revealed that the party has lodged a formal report to the police headquarters in Benin City over the incident , adding that Ozed’s life remains in danger as long as his attackers have not been apprehended.
