The political turmoil in Edo State has reached a boiling point, with a member of the House of Representatives, Billy Osawaru, calling for the arrest and prosecution of the state chairman and publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe and Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, respectively. Osawaru alleges that his life and the lives of his family are in danger following the controversial governorship primaries conducted by the party.
In a petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Osawaru detailed the threats and harassment he has faced since expressing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the primaries. He emphasized that the actions of Tenebe and Uwadiae-Igbinigie violate his constitutional rights to life and dignity, calling for their immediate questioning and possible prosecution.
Despite the serious allegations, Uwadiae-Igbinigie dismissed the petition, claiming it should be ignored and stating that he has not been invited by the police for questioning. The factionalization within the APC in Edo State has only deepened following the disputed governorship primaries, where multiple aspirants laid claim to the party’s ticket.
The chaos surrounding the primaries led to conflicting declarations of winners by different officials, ultimately prompting the National Working Committee of the party to deem the exercise inconclusive. The situation escalated further after a second round of primaries on February 22, with yet another candidate being declared the party’s gubernatorial nominee.
As the political drama unfolds in Edo State, the future of the APC in the region remains uncertain. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
