Hendrix Oliomogbe
Insisting on the right of return, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State Edo has forcefully taken possession of its party secretariat along Airport Road, Benin City, four years after it was forcefully evicted by immediate past Governor Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party PDP).
APC State Chairman, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, speaking shortly after the takeover of the party secretariat, said the property rightfully belonged to the APC as they had renewed the rent for a period of seven years.
The PDP, with the help of Obaseki had forcefully took over the property from the APC when he (Obaseki) defected from the APC to the PDP during the run to the 2020 governorsip election.
Tenebe led hordes of party members to the building and drove the occupants, including top party members, away before gaining entrance to the complex.
Tenebe said: “About four years ago, APC made frantic efforts to extend the rentage of this particular building which has always been the office of the APC. If you search on google, you will discover that this secretariat still reads 'APC office'.
"The party in the state approached the national office to arrange so that we will be able to pay for more years for the rentage off this facility. The national obliged us and sent us money to renew it for seven years.
“The Governor then, Mr Godwin Obaseki decamped to PDP and in a military way, they took us out of this secretariat. Destroyed all our properties, took our vehicles and drove us out of this place.
“At that time, we complained to the Inspector General of Police and he, in his wisdom agreed that we should take over the secretariat. But because the Commissioner of Police in the state was working hand in hand with the then governor, they refused to allow us access. Then, I was the deputy chairman of APC."
The Edo APC chairman said he came into office with a vow to reclaim the state and redress all the wrongs done by the PDP and Godwin Obaseki.
He said: “The day I became the chairman of the party in the state, I made two promises to our party faithfuls ; to make sure that APC take over the state and to ensure that all the properties taken from the APC are returned to them.
“Some few months ago, there was governorship election in this state and everybody can attest to it that Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged as the governor of the state, fulfilling one of the promises I made to our party faithful.
Sounding upbeat, Tenebe said that today is the happiest day of his life, as he was fulfilling the second promise he made to his party to make sure all the properties taken from APC are returned.
He added: "That is why we are here today. To take over the secretariat that was forcefully taken from us."
He said the ruling party will remodel the building into its official pattern and promised to resist any attempt by any group, or vested interest to eject them from the property, or any of their other properties.
He said: “Today, we have taken over this secretariat. It belongs to us now. We are going to allocate offices today. We have also called the painters to repaint this place to APC color today, because this place rightfully belongs to us.
“We are ready to resist anybody that will try to make any noise or try to do anything with everything that we have."
The Deputy Commissioner for Police in charge of Operations, Ben Abang, accompanied by other senior police officers was also at the newly reclaimed APC Secretariat to get a first hand brief of the action as he interacted with APC chairman and other top party members
The State PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi who was in the premises as at the time of the takeover was later escorted out of the building by the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku.
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