By Jethro Ibileke
The cold war between members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State, is gradually turning violent, as members of the Edo People’s Movement (EPM), were allegedly attacked over the weekend by suspected thugs at Ivbiaro, in Owan East local government area of the state.
EPM is a pressure group within party formed by loyalists of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.
The group has been at loggerheads with the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
It was gathered that members of the group were in a meeting when armed youths stormed the venue in several vehicles, and unleashed terror on them.
Two persons, including the coordinator of the group in the local government area, Carlis Imorole and a 90-year-old retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Roland Edeki, were injured in the fracas.
About five vehicles and scores of plastic chairs were also damaged by the hoodlums.
Speaking on the incident, a former commissioner during Adams Oshiomhole’s administration, Abdul Oroh, said the group obtained permission from Edo state police command for the meeting.
He, however, said that after granting the permission, the command called to inform them that the state government has called for cancellation of the meeting.
“We took permission from the state police command, but few hours after the permission was granted, we received calls from the command that the permit has been cancelled.
“When we asked for the reasons, the command said the directive was from the state government. The same command however advised us to hold the meeting in a private place.
“Initially, the meeting was scheduled to hold in Afuze, but based on the Command’s advise, it was relocated to Ivbiaro,” he said.
But when contacted, the state police command spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said he was not aware of the incident.
“I am not aware of it and I have not received such information,” he stated.