Edo Poll: APC, PDP clash over threat of violence

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded the arrest of Rev Olu Martins, spokesperson for the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Organisation, in response to his comments in a widely circulated video.

In a video that had on Friday gone viral, Rev. Olu Martins, speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting, made a controversial statement: “If some individuals defect from the party, it will create room for others. We will persuade those we can to remain, and as for those who refuse to stay, we will confront them and defeat them.” He then added, “I apologize, I am a pastor,”

“I asked them how Olumide Akpata campaign billboard got to be hoisted at Ring Road. Can you put the banner of another party in Alausa where Tinubu is?

“There are some things I cannot say here. When I spoke to Olukoga, he looked at me and I said from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom suffers violence and the violence take it by force. Who no know go know, who knows too much peme, their father.”

However in another video on Saturday, Martin said, “I think people took the video from where it favoured them. I can call it a misquote. It was an issue that prompted what I said.

“We know that all the billboards in Oredo and other places have no approval. Even our party was given a letter by the local government that they have not given approval for billboard, so how come we are seeing all these billboards everywhere?”

In spite of Martin’s clarification, Jarret Tenebe, the acting Chairman of the APC, in a statement on Saturday, also urged the Department of State Security Service and the Inspector General of Police to take action over Martin’s utterances.

He said, “Our party, the All Progressives Congress draws the attention of the Department of State Security Service, and the Inspector General of Police to the fact that the Peoples Democratic Party is threatening violence ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship elections.

“This is a clear indication of the desperation of the PDP, which is losing grounds. In particular, we call on the security agencies to immediately arrest one Rev Olu Martins, who claims to be a preacher during the day but is actually a vandal at night.

“In a viral video as the Deputy Director General of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Council, Rev Olu Martins is seen calling for the vandalization of campaign materials of opposition parties and threatening any opposition to the PDP candidate.

“He also openly asked Olukoga, Director of Operation of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ‘police’, the Edo State Security Network to attack anyone who fails to embrace the PDP and its fading candidate.

“In the event that the security agencies fail to rein Olu Martins and his irks in, the alternative is a call for anarchy. We will not endure any form of violence or cultist activities perpetrated or sponsored by the state.

“On our part, we shall continue to work towards ensuring a peaceful and free election. However, our civility can only be guaranteed in an atmosphere of egalitarianism,” he added.