Etim Effiong
Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II, has warned politicians against turning the state into a war zone in their quest to realise their governorship ambitions.
Secretary to Benin Traditional Council, Mr Frank Irabor, made this known in a statement in Benin City on Wednesday.
The palace issued the warning on the heels of the violence that broke out among supporters of the People’s Democratic Party and those of the All Progressives Congress during the visit of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who led other PDP governors and the national leaders of the party to pay homage to the Benin monarch before the inauguration of his governorship campaign.
Scores of the supporters of both political parties were said to have been injured during the fracas.
According to the statement, the palace condemned the unruly behaviour of some youths outside the gate of the palace.
The statement read in part, “The Benin Traditional Council uses this medium to advise all political party members not to turn Edo State into a war zone because of their gubernatorial ambition.
“We were, therefore, surprised to hear later that there was an incident outside the palace, directly in front of Oredo Local Government Secretariat. His Royal Majesty condemns this unruly behaviour that occurred in front of the palace.”
The monarch while recalling his cordial relationship with the august visitors, including the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his counterpart from Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, noted that the meeting ended well.
Oba Ewuare II, who maintained that the Benin throne was not partisan, explained that he remained committed to peace and tranquillity in Edo State ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.