RME: Attack on Edo lawmaker: PDP, APC in war of words

BENIN— Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, yesterday traded words over alleged attack on the lawmaker representing Etsako West constituency of the state, Rasaq Momoh, at the legislative quarters, Tuesday night.

While the PDP, through its state chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, alleged that the APC masterminded the attack on its lawmaker, the APC state chairman, Anslem Ojezua, alleged that the victim and the PDP had track records of violence in the state and should be held responsible for the attack.

Orbih said: "The Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is worried by the deteriorating security situation in the state occasioned by the heightening political intolerance by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole APC-led government to opposing political views.

" We strongly condemn the attack which is a reflection of the growing desperation of the APC administration in the face of its fast dwindling political support.

"In a democracy, the right to freedom of association is sacred and must be respected by all. We call on the Inspector General of Police to bring to book all those involved in the dastardly act."

But reacting, Ojezua asserted: "Violence is not the character of the APC or Governor Oshiomhole. Even when Momoh left the party, instead of resorting to physical combat, the party went to court. Momoh is the one who has an antecedence of violence. It would be recalled that, some time ago, he was caught with firearms and is still facing court trial.

"There is no way the governor will condescend so low as to sponsor people to attack Momoh because all through his union days, there was no record of him taking up arms against anybody. As far as I am concerned, whatever happened at the legislative quarters was purely a legislative matter and the governor or the party should not be dragged into it." .

It was learnt that trouble started when the lawmaker whose seat was declared vacant by the House last July for defecting from the APC to the PDP, was stopped from entering the quarters by security men at the gate.

He was said to have forced his way into the premises by scaling the perimeter fence.

This was said to have elicited hot exchange of words between him and the security men attached to the gate and some lawmakers within the premises.

It was gathered that some suspected thugs swooped on the lawmaker during the commotion and he was allegedly beaten to a pulp.