The Edo State government has said that the suspended national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his co-dissidents in the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) are planning to sponsor protests across the state targeted at maligning and undermining the government.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the motive behind the plan is to “incite the public and cause disaffection in the state in order to slow down the rapid pace of development, which has won the state gov¬ernment the hearts of the majority of Edo people in the last three years.”

According to him, “Having failed in his inordinate ambition to impose himself as the godfather who makes all decisions and losing grip of the APC structure in the state, Comrade Oshiomhole and his allies have resorted to a final option of stage-managing protests and violent attacks, with the intention to cause crisis and disaffection among the people.

“We are also aware that they are exploring other options of public disobedience and disturbances aimed at disrupting public peace and undermining the safety of Edo people.

“This, we believe, is part of Comrade Oshiomhole’s grand plan to make the state seem ungovernable so that he would not only achieve his ambition of forcing the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in state but also cause chaos and civil unrest.”

He reiterated the state government’s call on the presidency, the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to rein in Comrade Oshiomhole and stop him from continuing with his insidious intentions so as to safeguard law-abiding residents and indigenes of Edo State.

“We restate the government’s commitment to ensuring peace and security, and urge that Edo people go about their lawful businesses without apprehension,” he added. (Daily Independent)