The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has officially denounced a violent confrontation involving Dr. Obaseki, which took place on Sunday, the 28th of December, 2025. The incident reportedly unfolded at the Uwa Primary School football pitch on Igbesamwan Street in Benin City during a recreational game.
In a press release issued late Sunday, Edo State PDP Publicity Secretary Dan Osa-Ogbegie attributed the violence to youths linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The confrontation allegedly stemmed from accusations that Dr. Obaseki had uttered disrespectful comments regarding His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II. Footage surfacing on social media platforms depicts a mob seizing the victim and forcibly moving him toward the Oba’s Palace.
Osa-Ogbegie dismissed the idea that the event was a spontaneous outburst, labeling it instead as a premeditated strike.
“Dr Obaseki was accosted by a mob, harassed, threatened with death, stripped naked and forcibly dragged towards the Palace of the Oba of Benin,” he said. “The videos circulating leave no room for doubt. This was barbarism in its rawest form, evil, uncivilised and utterly repugnant.”
The PDP maintained that such violence contradicts the historical essence of the Benin Kingdom. The party argued that the perpetrators’ actions were a departure from the city’s legacy of order and human dignity.
“Benin civilisation is renowned for dignity, restraint and respect for human worth. The hooligans who carried out this atrocity do not speak for Benin and are a disgrace to its culture,” the statement read.
The party further highlighted Dr. Obaseki’s contributions as a scholar and advocate, asserting that his public presence has always been constructive rather than disruptive.
The PDP flatly rejected the use of traditional preservation as a pretext for “mob action” or torture. They emphasized that the rule of law must supersede street justice.
“If an offence is alleged, the police station, not the street, is the lawful venue. No mob, political gang or individual is above the law,” Osa-Ogbegie stated.
Furthermore, the party characterized the event as a breakdown of civil society, noting: “This inversion of justice strikes at the heart of the rule of law,” the party said.
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The PDP is calling for the following immediate interventions:Police Intervention, The Edo State Commissioner of Police must identify and prosecute every individual involved, regardless of their political ties.
The party accused the APC-led state government of complicity through its “silence,” which they claim fosters an environment of thuggery.
A demand for traditional institutions to distance themselves from the act and for the state government to provide a formal explanation.
The statement concluded with an expression of solidarity with Dr. Obaseki and his family, urging for a swift restoration of peace and security within the state.