The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has condemned the forceful takeover of its Secretariat on Thursday, describing the incident as a “criminal trespass, breaking, stealing, and malicious damage.”
The PDP expressed outrage over the violent nature of the invasion, which took place along the Airport Road in Benin City.
The Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Tony Azeigbemi, addressed the media on Friday, asserting that the secretariat remained the official office of the party.
He challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide evidence to support their claim that they had paid rent for the building over the past seven years.
Azeigbemi expressed his dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation by security agencies, revealing that it took more than one hour for them to respond to his distress call.
According to him, it should not have taken more than 15 minutes for authorities to arrive at the scene.
“The secretariat was vandalized, and there was wreckage and destruction everywhere. Banners and other materials were taken off and destroyed. Lives were put in danger, including mine as the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State. I was forcefully bundled out of my office with the help of Mr Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku. amidst brutal assault and violence against my person.
“No doubt, this is arguably the worst attack on democracy in any part of Nigeria since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999. Even military regimes before 1999 were not as violent or brutal against dissenting voices as the Okpebholo-led government since they took over office on November 12, 2024.”
