Attacking Senator Monday Okpebholo’s Convoy Will Not Stop His Victory
By Osehobo Ofure Victor
The PDP in Edo State is a violent party, doomed to failure. Little wonder that in June this year the Deputy Director-General (Media) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign organization, Reverend Olu Martins, was arrested by the police and questioned over alleged inflammatory and inciting statements regarding this month’s election in our state.
The immediate past Edo State Police Commissioner, CP Funsho Adegboye, had noted that the clergyman’s statements were capable of causing violence in the state.
“Recently, there was a viral video of inflammatory statements made by Rev. Olu Martins that can heat up the electioneering campaign processes in the state. He was invited to serve as a deterrent to others of like behaviours, and we also decided that the matter should be resolved in court,” he said.
That deterrent is not working as far as the PDP in Edo State is concerned with regard to the upcoming election. As a failed party, it is on record that the party wallows in violence, especially when it is becoming clear to it that losing this month’s election in Edo is inevitable.
Or how else can one explain the escalating violence against the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, orchestrated by the PDP? Is it not an alarming reminder of the lengths that losers are willing to go to justify their failures? In July, when his convoy was attacked by the PDP thugs in official uniforms near Benin City Airport, it was dismissed as an isolated incident. But this week’s incident at Akoko-Edo suggests a more sinister and coordinated effort to derail the distinguished Senator’s governorship bid.
Thursday’s attack on the APC campaign trail in Akoko-Edo was not just another isolated or random act of violence; it is part of a broader strategy by the outgoing PDP government in Edo to harass and intimidate both Senator Okpebholo and APC supporters. It follows the promise made by Rev. Olu Martins. The alignment between his chilling declaration and the actual events now unfolding is difficult to overlook.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), in response to the Akoko-Edo attacks, has rightly called for the arrest of key PDP figures such as Tajudeen Bright Alade, the Akoko-Edo Local Government Council Chairman, and Omobayo Godwins, both of whom have questions to answer about the orchestrated attack.
The party has details of how Tajudeen Alade, definitely frustrated by the large turnout at Okpebholo’s rallies, resorted to using thugs to disrupt the events. Despite prior warnings, Okpebholo and his team continued their outreach, showing resilience in the face of adversity.
In both Ososo and Igarra towns, APC supporters were met with violence, harassment, and intimidation. Thugs dressed as masquerades tried to break up the rallies, but the people remained undeterred, eager to hear the APC’s #TakeBackEdoState message. Even when the attackers blocked Senator Monday Okpebholo’s campaign convoy, the security personnel on the ground acted swiftly to neutralize the threat, ensuring that the campaign continued safely.
Yet, this violence isn’t just about the physical attacks on the Senator or his supporters. It is a reflection of a deeper political desperation on the part of the Edo State PDP-led government. With Senator Okpebholo’s message resonating across Edo State, particularly in Akoko-Edo, the PDP appears to be adopting the most violent satanic means to halt his momentum. The attacks are symbolic of the larger fear the PDP has toward Okpebholo’s growing influence and the possibility of an APC victory on September 21.
Ironically, this pattern of violence began much earlier. The July 18th attack at Benin City Airport, which tragically resulted in the death of Police Inspector Onu Ako, a security detail attached to him, was a clear attempt on Senator Okpebholo’s life. Gunmen ambushed the Senator and his team shortly after arriving from Abuja. It was the PDP’s launch of its dangerous political campaign of intimidation. The loss of life during that attack, unfortunately, has been downplayed. An officer on duty left a widow and fatherless children. Yet the gory episode underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for security agencies to act decisively to protect Senator Monday Okpebholo, his supporters, and non-PDP residents of Edo State.
Nevertheless, these unprovoked attacks cannot and will not affect Senator Monday Okpebholo in any way. He remains steadfast in his mission to reset our state. He continues to tour the state, spreading his message of hope after eight locust years of PDP rule. The Senator’s refusal to be silenced by the violence is a testament to his resolve, resilience, and dedication to rebuilding Edo State. There is no amount of violent desperation that will stop the Senator’s campaign, nor will it diminish the resolve of the electorate in our state, who are increasingly rallying behind him.
Can the Edo PDP use political violence to undermine the Senator’s imminent victory in this month’s election? The actions of those behind these attacks suggest that they believe it can. But they are doomed as failure is their portion! History has shown that violence and intimidation are not lucrative election currencies. In fact, history says it often galvanizes the very people it seeks to oppress. In this case, the more Senator Okpebholo’s convoy or campaign trail is attacked, the more support he gains from the Edo populace, who see these attacks for what they are – acts of desperation from a frustrated PDP government certain of losing its grip on power.
The APC’s call for the arrest of Tajudeen Alade and Omobayo Godwins is a necessary step. In addition, the Inspector General of Police and the State Security Service must act swiftly to investigate and bring these perpetrators to justice. Failing to do so will not only embolden the PDP but also set a dangerous precedent.
Senator Okpebholo’s campaign is built on a message of “A New Edo Is Rising” as opposed to the PDP’s slogan of “Prosperity for all,” after mismanaging and squandering Edo people’s resources for eight years! The choice before the electorate is clear: do they support a candidate who offers a vision for the future, or do they stand with those who relish violence and intimidation?
The PDP must realize that its attacks on Senator Monday Okpebholo are counterproductive. Violence cannot silence the will of the people. Edo’s citizens are watching, and every attack only strengthens their resolve to see a New Edo with Senator Okpebholo as governor. The people of Edo State deserve nothing less.
In the end, the attacks on Senator Okpebholo’s campaign trail will not stop his victory. They may slow him down, but they will not stop the inevitable change that is coming. The people of Edo are ready, and no amount of violence can take away their right to choose the distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo for victory.
……. Osehobo, Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the APC is Member, Publicity Committee, Edo APC Governorship campaign Council.
