Politics
Count Me Out Of Booing Of Obaseki, PDP At Oba’s Palace— Capt. Okunbo
… Says Ambition Of A Man Not Worth The Blood Of Any Edolite
By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
Chairman of Ocean Marine Solution (OMS), Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo (Capt, Hosa), has distanced himself from the ugly incident during which Governor Godwin Obaseki and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were booed outside the palace of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, on Saturday, July 25, 2020.
There have been reports of an ugly and unfortunate booing incident that took place outside the palace of the monarch on Saturday during the visit of members of the National Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP entourage, including the Edo State Governor and governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, were reportedly booed while going in and out of the palace by a motley crowd of mostly young boys, according to media reports.
Some members of the crowd who reportedly embarrassed the PDP team and the State Governor were said to have been subsequently attacked allegedly by some gun-toting thugs and sustained varied degrees of injuries in the attack.
Okunbo in a clarification statement on Sunday in Abuja condemned the booing of the governor and the PDP team, as well as the reprisal attack.
The Captain noted that he was particularly pained that some ungodly insinuations in some quarters have linked him with the unfortunate saga, adding: “It is against that backdrop that I have deemed it necessary to make clarifications.”
He stated: “That I was invited to the Palace of the Oba of Benin for a very private ceremony, which I did not even attend with my friends, and that the private ceremony, which had no bearing at all with politics, took place hours after the booing incident happened outside the Palace.
“That I was not privy to the ugly incident during which Governor Godwin Obaseki was reportedly booed.
“As a responsible citizen and elder statesman who respects constituted authorities, I would not subscribe to any act that tends to disrespect or denigrate any constituted authority whether in Edo State or any other State in Nigeria.
“I sincerely frown at the brazen act of disrespect for constituted authorities by the crowd of young men who reportedly became unruly on sighting the entourage of the PDP National Campaign Council and Governor Godwin Obaseki at the palace of the Oba of Benin.
“I will never, ever be a party to any plan, plot, action or inaction to embarrass our most revered father, Oba Ewuare II, who is non-partisan; and who plays the role of a father to all sons and daughters of the great Benin Kingdom.
“I was not associated with the activities of the unruly crowd and therefore could not have been sent to the palace by me to embarrass the PDP entourage, including the State Governor whom I respect as the number one citizen of the State.
“I have equal measure of respect for other State Governors who were on the entourage with Governor Godwin Obaseki, some of whom are my personal friends; and could not have encouraged any plot to boo or embarrass them.
“That just as I was not privy to the ugly incident outside the palace of the Oba Of Benin, our revered Royal Father, Oba Ewuare II, was also not even aware of what transpired outside until later after he had been briefed about it.
“Those who made insinuations linking me with the ugly incident were just trying to drag me into their politics and create the impression in certain quarters that I was responsible for their rejection by the people.
“That I state solemnly that, in my position as a role model to our teeming youths who look up to me for guidance and support, I cannot, under any guise, undertake directly or sanction indirectly any action that will place me in a position of disrepute before them and other well-meaning members of the society.
“That, for the records, our revered Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, will not, at all times, condone any act of indiscipline by the youths.
“That I urge my good people of Edo State, associates and supporters to rest assured that I remain the person they have ,good neighborliness who is committed to the promotion of peace, security and orderliness in our society.
“That I have always preached to the hearing of everybody that the ambition of any man is not worth the blood of any Edolite.
“That I call on all Edo people to join hands to ensure that they eschew violence in the electioneering by the political parties and in the forthcoming September 19, 2020 governorship election.”
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