President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met behind close-doors with Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, chairman of the Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs and Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’ Edo, Ewuare II, called on the president intervene in the crisis between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor and national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr Adams Oshiohmole.
“Mr President, we as traditional rulers in Edo state, are concerned about the crisis between Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress National Chairman and his Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Edo State House of Assembly. If this crisis is not resolved now with immediate effect it may jeopardize the progress of the state.
“On behalf of the good people of Edo State, we kindly appeal to Mr. President to use your good offices to intervene and stop this crisis. Personally even though I do not like to interfere in inter-party or intra party matters, and always maintain that the Benin Crown is non-partisan, it is however difficult to turn a blind eye because if this crisis is not brought under control, it is likely to jeopardize the welfare of the masses.
“This is where I, in my capacity as Chairman of Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, supported by members of the Council, will endeavor to broker peace between the warring parties,” he said.
The Oba of Benin also called on the president to intervene on the “poor and ineffective performance’’ of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) in the provision of power to electricity consumers in the state.
He also urged the president to provide two ministerial slots to Edo state in the yet to be constituted Federal Executive Council (FEC) because it is the only All Progressives Congress (APC) state in the South-South.
