The Edo government has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to cause a civil unrest under the guise of protests and rallies in order to advance its political agenda.

The commissioner of communication and orientation, Chris Nehikhare, stated this on Wednesday in Benin, during a news conference.

The commissioner alleged that the APC had resorted to inciting the public that the federal government gave many truckloads of rice to the state government for the people but the rice was now with some chieftains of PDP.

Mr Nehikhare said the state government knew nothing about rice from the federal government looted by protesters on Aug. 1 from a warehouse in Benin.

He said that the APC was worried because it had realised the folly of presenting an incompetent candidate for the governorship election on Sept. 21.

“Our findings reveal that the APC plans to incite civil unrest and cause chaos under the guise of riots and protests in order to disrupt the peace and stability of the state.

“APC is trying to divert attention from its candidate’s weaknesses and buying time to avoid debates and meaningful engagement with the people,” he said.

Mr Nehikhare said the government had alerted the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service (SSS) of the plan.

Responding, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, director of publicity, Edo APC campaign council, denied the allegation.

He said Gov. Godwin Obaseki was only being haunted by the ghost of #EndBadGovernance protest he allegedly sponsored in the state.

Mr Omo-Ojo said the alleged sponsored protest led to the discovery of hidden Federal Government palliative in a PDP leader house in Benin.

He said contrary to Mr Obaseki’s expectation, while he was addressing his PDP members and political aides he gathered as protesters, the real protesters located the rice and looted it.

“The fear of losing the entire hidden grains has led to Obaseki’s sudden hatred for organisers of the protest who he now calls hoodlums and thugs,” Mr Omo-Ojo said.

The publicity director, however, called on the Edo people to do everything to reject the PDP and its candidate during Sept. 21 poll, alleging that Asue Ighodalo would be worse than Mr Obaseki if elected. 

(NAN)