The state commissioner for communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare in a statement on Saturday said, “The Edo State Government condemns in the strongest terms the violence associated with the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata’s visit to the University of Benin on Friday, April 12, 2024.
The Edo State Government has condemned the attack on the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata, at the University of Benin by students of the institution on Friday.
The state commissioner for communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare in a statement on Saturday said, “The Edo State Government condemns in the strongest terms the violence associated with the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata’s visit to the University of Benin on Friday, April 12, 2024.
“Claims and counterclaims have been made by Akpata and the Student Union Government of the university in statements issued by both parties on April 13, and an active investigation is ongoing on the issue.
“The Edo State Government, however, warns in the strongest terms that it will not tolerate violence or this sort of irresponsible behaviour which was associated with the visit of Akpata to the institution.
“Government has the primary responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property in the state and will spare no effort to ensure that anyone who breaches the peace, no matter how highly placed, will face the full weight of the law.
“We hereby call on all Edo people to go about their lawful businesses without let as relevant agencies progress with their investigation into the said matter.”
Earlier, Akpata, on Saturday accused a senior government official of the state government of masterminding the attack on Friday afternoon at the University of Benin.
The LP governorship candidate, who was a guest at an interactive session organised by the University of Benin Staff Club, was violently interrupted during the event, which caused a crisis within the school premises.
In a viral video released on Saturday, Akpata said a senior lecturer who sustained injury as a result of the attack is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Benin.
He also debunked allegations that his security personnel shot a student on the campus, noting that nothing like that happened.
He said, “My staff drew my attention to a video that is making the rounds currently of an individual who claimed to be shot at an event I attended on Friday and claimed to have been shot by my security agent.
“I looked at the video, and nothing could be farther from the truth. I only wished that the individual could show his face to determine the veracity of his story.
“I was invited to the University of Benin Senior Staff Club to hold an interactive session with members of the club. I’m told that a similar event took place a couple of weeks ago by the PDP candidate. To our surprise and consternation, this event was interrupted very rudely by some hoodlums who claimed to be students of the University of Benin.
“They disrupted the event, insisting that it shouldn’t be held without informing them. You can imagine how shocked we were, including the professors there. They barricaded the gate with their vehicles, there was a fracas in the precinct of the club, and a lecturer was injured and he is at the hospital.
“I had to be taken away by security personnel, and even as we attempted to leave UNIBEN, the highway was barricaded. It took my security personnel to remove the barricade before we continued our journey.
“We know what is going on. It is election season, and it is quite obvious that some of our old and very tired politicians are up to their usual antics and have learned nothing.
“I have it on good authority that those hoodlums were deployed by a senior official of the Edo State government, and I’m speaking directly to this official now. I know you, and you know me.
Akpata added, “I want to place it on record that at no time was a student of the University of Benin shot. The video was done to bring misinformation, I was the one who was attacked alongside the professor.
In a statement by the Students Union Government of UNIBEN, titled, “Update on Security Threats and Institutional Disregard” and signed by its President, King Lemuel and Secretary, Eriamiatoe Miracle, also frowned against using “ students as a means of campaign” and noted that the President of UNIBEN Staff Club is being questioned by the appropriate authority.
The management of UNIBEN in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, also condemned the attack on the LP governorship candidate, noting that an investigation would be carried out to unravel the cause of the pandemonium.