The Edo State Government has said recorded bomb explosions and attacks on prominent persons in the state were designed to embarrass Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The state government said those behind the attacks wanted the governor removed through a declaration of a state of emergency in Edo.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Paul Ohonbamu, stated this on Wednesday after Edo Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lawrence Okah, narrowly escaped death on Tuesday when an Improved Explosive Device (IED) exploded at his residence in Benin.
Reacting to the incident, Ohonbamu told journalists that the attacks and smear campaigns were meant to make the people believe that Obaseki was performing poorly on security.
The state government said those behind the attacks wanted the governor removed through a declaration of state of emergency in Edo.
“But this is not the situation. It is necessary for you to know that everything in terms of state security architecture is in place.
“The situation is becoming very severe even though it is not yet critical but it is very necessary for us to put the issue in proper perspective so that Edo people will be the better judge.
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“Obaseki believes in the rule of law. All the things he has done are in line with the rule of law.
“These are distractions that negate democracy. All these bombings and violence amount to impotent grandstanding.
“They are afraid of electoral defeat and I want to assure you that their defeat is in the fixed deposit,” Ohonbamu said.
He added that the governor was not moved by the entire drama, asking: “Who benefits from the assassination or injury of anybody?”
“This is the least of our worries. These people have never said they will defeat Obaseki in the primary elections.
“All they have been saying is that they want to remove Obaseki and that the national chairman will send the list and he will not even be given form,” the commissioner stated.
He also said that the attacks were to create tension, “when there is none,” and portray the impression to the world that law and order had broken down in Edo.
“All these orchestrated attacks and bombings are targeted at the governor. This latest move was to instigate the declaration of a state of emergency in the state,” he said.
According to him, those behind the attacks want the party ticket through the window but they will all fail.
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