By Ozioruva Aliu
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the wife Edo State Deputy Governor Marry-Ann Shaibu of threatening violence against anyone associating with APC supporters, in a video that has gone viral.
The APC said Mrs Shaibu took a violent cue from her husband, Comrade Philip Shaibu as she spat fire, threatening to flog any woman she sees associating with a group, which is suspected to be an affiliate of the main opposition party, APC, in Edo.
The APC said this action violates the rights of Edo people which grants them freedom of association and the recent peace deal convoked by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II.
A statement by the Chairman, APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki while explaining the viral video showing the wife of the Deputy Governor, who was seen gesticulating and requesting the picture of every woman attending the meeting she was addressing be captured, vowing afterwards that anyone of them found identifying with another group would be flogged with the cane.
Mayaki said, “The sense of urgency and desperation in the tone of Mrs Shaibu, who has been making frantic but futile moves to boost the chances of the temporary ruling party, PDP, in Edo North, through a series of meeting with women at different parts of the region, is no doubt as a result of the chill wind reaching her.
“Although women openly support her to enjoy what pleasures they could, she had realized, they secretly intended to vote for APC.
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Mayaki who criticised the deputy governor’s wife’s “imprudent choice of words” said, “I am not surprised that she is threatening violence. We know that her husband arms thugs. Her imprudent choice of words, though regrettable, is simply a manifestation of what they bring to the table in Edo State. Every step of the campaign, they have brutalised us, and unleashed weapons of warfare. But they are making martyrs of us. All we want is good governance in Edo state and now she is threatening to whip us.”
Reacting to the allegation, the Chief Press Secretary to Shaibu, Musa Ebomhiana said the video was manipulated just as he said it was the APC that broke the peace deal by Oba Eware II.
He said: “Even before we left the palace, APC was reporting that Oba of Benin said it was Shiabu that was arming thugs, that was already a breach of Oba’s message but we chose to ignore. Now they have come out with a video that was simulated. They edited her voice and the environment and are now attributing it to her.
We can as well do that but we want peace to reign before, during and after the election. This is sheer blackmail and it is because they know they have lost the election and this their strategy will not work, it will not help them”
