THE DESPERADOES IN EDO

The desperadoes in Edo
By JOHN MAYAKI
Thursday, March 11, 2010
If the history of desperadoes and agent provocateur is to be traced in Edo State, we know the first lead. We need not go far or dissipate energy quizzing unsuspecting innocent citizens. We know the wolves in our midst that masqueraded in lamb's clothing.

They are the rascally dishonourable members of the House of Assembly and members of their party. They belong to the undisciplined, unbridled and riotous 'umbrella' that is fast metamorphosing into a cult-like group.

These desperadoes will never come to their senses that when you loose in a battle, you wait for a next time.

As a student of history and one conversant with how the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hounded, and reigned terror on themselves, what easily comes to a discerning mind is their ability to unleash unimaginable evil on their opponents who in this case is the Action Congress (AC), the Government of Edo State and the Comrade Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole at least to make the state ungovernable.

It is on record, how PDP members fought themselves to a stand still in the state. Remember how a former Deputy Governor, who, when in office raised the allegation of death threat on his person by no other person than a member of his party. He petitioned the Police and the State Security Service. Mr. Chris Dega was the then Commissioner of Police.

The intra-political crisis that rocked the PDP at that time also consumed Egor council boss,

What followed the suspension in Egor council was gun duel. Armed thugs believed to be loyal to both factions of the PDP exchanged gunshots for several hours and turned the council to a battlefield over who occupies the seat since the Appeal tribunal ousted the former chairman loyal to Anenih.

Recall also that the ruling of the local government election tribunal had pitched Imasuen, the former Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a former chairman of Egor Local Government Council, Nosa Adams against Justice Amaize, the chairman of the appeal tribunal and a high court judge.

Justice Amaize shortly after he delivered the judgment on August 1 petitioned the police and alleged that Imasuen and Iduoriyekemwen were the brains behind the alleged threat to his life through a text message. He alleged that the former deputy governor had tried to compromise him before the judgment but failed.

Justice Amaize alleged that he noticed Iduoriyekemwen in unusual meetings in the court premises when the minority judgment in the case was being delivered. Apparently acting based on the personalities involved in the case and the consequences of any such misfortune, the police confronted Imasuen who denied the allegations and even accused the judge of hobnobbing with politicians in the state.

Again, remember a gentle man called Rev. Peter Obadan? What about Jarret Tenebe? The former had last year accused security officers with the former Speaker of attacking his 'convoy'. It was a tinted Camry car with about four goggled men said to be drunk. The reverend was not in the car. He had directed his people to represent him in the wedding ceremony of the son of Chief Francis Alemekhena and the daughter of the Chairman of EDSIEC, Justice Anthony Okunega.

However, in a counter-allegation, the former Speaker said the boys were not different from assassins in the manner they behaved in the attempt to overtake his convoy. Zakawanu said his security men blocked the said Camry car from overtaking his convoy on the suspicion that they could be assassins, adding that they were four in the car and the manner they drove their car created the suspicion that led to the incident.

This development angered the Anenih loyalists who are also Zakawanu's kinsmen.

Note that these guys are all members of the PDP.
Just after the Chairman of Etsako West, Mallam Gani Audu pitched tent with the AC, the secretariat building was burnt. It started at about 12 midnight and the inferno razed part of the office of the chairman and three other offices including that of the supervisory councillor for health, administrative officers office/establishment and the council's conference room. The suspected arsonists were believed to have gained entrance into the council through a perimeter fence close to the chairman's office as the curl barb wire at that spot was cut open to gain easy access to the council while a packet of half filled match box was found on the ground around the same spot.

Just as this was going on, a set of supposedly lawmakers in the House of Assembly proved to the world that they were rascals. They degenerated right in the hallowed chambers of the Assembly to mere agbero boys as they armed themselves with offensive dangerous weapons to possibly maim the progressives in the Assembly. In fact, the Gavel, a tool of the Speaker's authority was deployed as a weapon. And as we speak, these persons have not been declared wanted and charged for assault occasioning arm. In fact the best that can happen to them is their recall by members of their constituencies who watched in disappointment, as their representatives brandished and exhibited characters similar to that of hooligans.

When the situation cleared, three members of the Action Congress (AC), Philip Shuaibu, Etsako West Constituency II, John Oghuma, Etsako Central Constituency and Kabiru Adjoto, Akoko-Edo Constituency I, sustained various degrees of injuries. Substance believed to be bomb capable of having impact across 500 metres in diameter was discovered by the side of the complex opposite the General Hospital mortuary, which experts said, was untimed bomb that could explode when ignited by fire.

The discovery of the substance shortly after the day's sitting at about 2 pm by one of the policemen still guarding the complex since last Monday's fracas sent staff of the assembly vacating their offices and police from the anti-bomb squad cordoning off the entire area while awaiting sand bags which they said would be used to detonate the bomb and the sand bags would help to reduce the impact.

The substance was an improvised Explosive Device stuffed into a Ragolis water can. It was made up of explosives and other accessories capable of sending shocking waves as far as 500 metres from the spot of detonation which fragmentation could 'cause injuries to or death to many'. By implication, if the bomb had detonated the impact could have affected part of the National Museum, which is less than almost 500 metres from the assembly gate complex.

This was discovered until few minutes after the house resumed sitting with the new Speaker, Hon. Bright Omokhodion presiding and none of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members attended but aides to some of them were seen in the assembly complex.

Having seen in a chronological manner, the activities of these desperadoes in Edo State, one must remind them that politics is not about personal ambition but an urge you have in you to help your people and to uplift your state or country. But when you see 'vultures' assemblage as a political party or being in politics, as we have seen in the Edo example, we should start smelling a rat and begin to sleep with our eyes open because, vultures live on dead bodies.

Obviously, the desperadoes are here and we must hold them accountable for any break down of law and order.

• Prince Mayaki writes from Benin City.