AS at 3:45 pm on Tuesday, Mrs Precious Odubu, wife of the younger brother to the immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu was relaxing at home with her children without any inkling of what would befall them in the next 15 minutes. And from nowhere she noticed armed policemen entering their compound situated off Dennis Osadebey Avenue GRA through another route outside their entry gate. She was frightened but summed up courage to ask them who they were and with indifference she said they asked her if there were children inside the house that she should bring them out because the state government wanted to demolish their house and that as soon as she ran inside to bring out her two years old baby who was sleeping, they beckoned and suddenly a bulldozer immediately began the mission to bring down the house without even allowing her to go back inside and salvage any personal or family effect she could get. The bulldozer under watch of armed security men including policemen, army and NSCDC reduced the house to rubble. At the site of the immediate past Secretary to State Government (SSG), Professor Julius Ihonvbere who is now the member representing Owan Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, the house which is about 500 metres to the government house gate was still under construction, the bulldozer brought down the structure which was nearing completion. The same scenario played out at the building besides the Police Cottage Hospital belonging to sports enthusiast and marketer, Mike Itemuagbo where a two bedroom bungalow was situated and was also destroyed. It was gathered that the occupant of the house may have heard of what was to befall him and was said to have moved some of his belongings out of the place but a barber who also acted as security was not so lucky as he was said to have lost some of his personal effects in his shop when the bulldozers came there. This action of the state government has assumed political colouration as all the affected persons are allies of former governor of the state and immediate National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and is being seen as a case of vendetta rather than state interest. Odubu was deputy to Oshiomhole for the eight years he was governor, Ihonvbere was Secretary to State Government (SSG) under Oshiomhole while Itemuagbon though not an active politician initiated the Okpekpe race that brought international recognition to Edo State. He is said to be a friend of Oshiomhole and also Obaseki. When Oshiomhole and Obaseki fell apart, Itemuagbo was said to have distanced himself from politics and party intrigues. Destruction of his house too must have been a surprise to followers of the Edo politics. Reactions The state government said the action was taken in the interest of the state and not for any other reason. A statement by Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie Esq stated that the C of Os of the properties were revoked on December 21, 2020 including the one belonging to Governor Godwin Obaseki because they were gifted out as parting gifts by the immediate past governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to former political office holders, companies and private individuals. The statement said those were the only properties owned by the state government in GRA before they were gifted out which he said would have created fresh burden on government buying land from the public if it needs them for development in future. Odubu According to the former deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu, ”The information came to me this afternoon, March 23, that my property situated at Dennis Osadebe avenue has been brought down by agents of the government on the directive of the governor. ”Before now, my attention was brought to a publication in the Observer newspaper in January that the C of O of my property have been revoked without prior notice given to me. ”I went to court in the matter and I am surprised that after they have been served, the government still went ahead to bring down my house with a bulldozer. “My younger one was in the house when it was brought down and they did not give them notice nor allowed to remove any of their properties before destroying the place,” he said. Hon Washington Osifo (Phd) The member-elect for Uhunwonde local government area, Hon Washington Osifo (Phd), a lawyer, likened the action to late military dictator, General Sani Abacha. He said “Gen Sani Abacha, once upon a time, was the most feared General and Head of state in Nigeria. He dished out orders as though he was God. “He ordered the detention and execution of helpless and harmless Nigerians. “Although many died of unbearable heartbreaks, more than many saw his remains wrapped up in a cheap mat and buried just like that. “Men in power and authority be careful what you do with power and authority at your disposal for it is only transient. Isere To Felix Isere, also a lawyer, “even if the governor has a justifiable reason to take over the property, they ought to have sent a notice, people were living in Odubu’s house before the demolition but they didn’t do that even when those people were appealing to them to allow them to pick their personal things, they did not allow them. They destroyed everything so it was a clear case of malice and vindictiveness” Anonymous. A chieftain of the PDP who wants to remain anonymous but was very emotional said “I have never seen this kind of thing in my life, these are properties that have C of Os. You started by destroying Kabaka’s hotel, a place you could have used as Covid-19 Isolation Centre or even resident or treatment centre. “He went to this house and did not allow the residents to take a pin out, the only thing they did was to ensure that

One of the collation officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency bye-election has reportedly been abducted. The victim identified as Engr. Mike Ozoemena is the collation officer of the APC in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State. Ozomena, who was also the Campaign Officer of Mascot Uzor Kalu, the APC candidate in the constituency, was said to have been abducted by gunmen in the early hours of the day. In a telephone conversation with Daily Trust, Spokesman of the APC in Abia, said efforts made to locate Ozomena have been fruitless. “Engr. Mike Ozoemena, Director of Publicity, Mascot Uzor-Kalu Campaign and APC Collation Officer in Aba North has been whisked away by some men on white Hilux from his ward, Industrial Ward-2 Aba North to an unknown destination. “We don’t know his whereabouts. We don’t know where they took him to; we are calling for immediate rescue,” he said. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said he is not aware of the kidnap as the party is yet to make a formal complaint to the police. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed the election for Saturday after the seat of Ossy Prestige, the lawmaker who represented the constituency, was declared vacant. Prestige, who was a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) died in a German hospital on February 6, 2021. MEANWHILE Staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission and voters scampered for safety on Saturday when an explosion rocked the Umuola Hall, Ward 8, Ogbor Hill, Aba North Council in Abia State. The incident occurred during the ongoing bye-election into the Aba North-South Federal Constituency seat. Although no life was lost in the explosion but electoral materials were destroyed. Security agents had stormed the area and restored order, and while voting had resumed. A voter, who gave his name as Chinedu Eze, said they were in the queue when a loud sound enveloped the area and everyone fled. He said, “We were in the queue, some people were being accredited to cast their votes when we heard a loud sound. Everybody took to their heels. It was a bomb and we didn’t know where it came from.” Efforts to get the reaction of the INEC as well as the State Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbede, were not successful as of the time of filing this report.