The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Thursday evening, December 12, has banned the organised rally by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State loyal to the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
The IGP had earlier on Thursday granted approval for the rally scheduled for Friday.
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, in response to the application by the State Government to suspend the rally for security reasons, the IGP directed the Commissioner of Police in Edo State to ensure that the planned rally is suspended.
The letter entitled, “Re: Request to stop the purported All Progressives Congress (APC) Rally in Benin City, Edo State”, reads: “I am directed by the Inspector General of Police to convey his warmest regards and to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency letter ODG.134/59 of December 12, 2019 on the above underlined subject.”
The letter, dated December 12, was signed by ACP Idowu Owohunwa, Principal Staff Officer to the IGP.
Reacting, Shaibu, who is acting in the absence of Governor Godwin Obaseki – currently in President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to Egypt – said: “I had to write as the chief security officer of the state to let him know the situation in Edo State and to also inform him in line with the party’s constitution, the governor is the leader of the party.
“And if the governor that is the leader of the party and the party that he leads wants to do a rally in his own state and he has not authorized it and he is not aware, such rally cannot take.
“Also to inform him that that national chairman suspended from the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, does not have the locus to preside even an issue that concerns APC as we speak.
“So, the man that must give voice to whatever in APC in terms of governance enshrined in the Constitution is the leader of the party in the state, that is the governor.
“So I have the letter, the IG has responded to me that based on security situation that I have highlighted, that he has directed the commissioner of police to put all security in place to suspend that planned rally by these people.”
