The Edo State government, on Tuesday, described as futile, efforts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, targeted at condemning the state’s aggressive effort against land-grabbers and other non-state actors responsible for disrupting land administration in the state.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media Projects to Edo State Governor, Mr. Crusoe Osagie flayed the APC saying that the opposition party in the state sees nothing gainful in cleaning up a defective and unlawful system that empowered thugs and miscreants, who had hitherto intimidated and fleeced unsuspecting citizens in land and related transactions.
The statement hailed Governor, Godwin Obaseki’s proscription of Community Development Association (CDA), noting that the land grabbers were unscrupulous elements who, “ dispossess people of their landed property, fomenting trouble that had scared investors from our state and discouraged many Edo sons and daughters, especially, in diaspora from investing in the state until recently.
A statement signed by Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo, Chairman, Interim Management Committee of Edo Forum of Patriots and made available to newsmen in Benin city said Edo state is fast on the verge of losing its pride of place in the country’s socio-economic and political developments.
He said, “ In the last five years, Edo State has been in the news for one political crisis or the other, and less or zero attention has been paid to existential threats of herdsmen menace, disproportionate corporate social responsibility by oil and gas multinationals, cultism and youth gangsterism. The circle of crisis cost our State the exalted office of the APC national chairman, as well as the chairman of almost inaugurated NDDC board.
“It has been five years of God’s grace, and it was high time senatorial synergies is built among the three senators, and nine House of Representative members for rapid socioeconomic transformation of our State.As you move into campaigns, it should be intellectually based, it should be oiled by patriotic will as opposed to chauvinistic tendencies and personal aggrandizement. “
He urged parties to imbibe the spirit of town hall engagement with the electorate with a view to making far reaching inputs into the legislative schemes of their candidates declaring that Edo people will hold candidates and parties accountable for any unpalatable electioneering conducts in the build up to the general elections.
THE GUARDIAN