The people of Edo State have been urged to await the outcome of the court process on the status of the transition government in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state rather than resorting to self help.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, on the heels of Wednesday’s take-over of some council headquarters by youths allegedly loyal to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, the government advised the people to “wait for the outcome of this court process and desist from taking laws into their hands or embarking on action amounting to self help.”
Odion said in the statement: “In view of the seeming premeditated acts of lawlessness by some thugs and hirelings of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who besieged many of the Local Government Headquarters on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 causing mayhem, presumably spurred by a recent court judgement which declared the transition government in the 18 LGAs illegal, it is important to make this salient clarification.”
The government explained that following the judgement of the Ekpoma High Court of May 16, 2012, “the Edo State Government has filed a Motion of Appeal at the Court of Appeal, Benin City. A Motion for an order suspending the earlier order of 16th May, 2012 has also been filed at the court pending the decision on the appeal.”
While deploring all acts of recklessness, the statement urges “all peace loving Edo people to eschew violence as the issue pertaining to the status of the transition government at the 18 Local Government Councils of the state, is before a competent court of law.”