Edo APC Chairman Accused of Leading Attack on PDP Secretariat in Benin

By: Bayero Ade

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, has been accused of leading an attack on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Benin City on Thursday afternoon.

According to Vanguard, the assault, which reportedly involved armed individuals, left PDP Chairman Anthony Aziegbemin assaulted and forced him to flee for safety.

Footage from inside the secretariat shows a tense verbal exchange between Tenebe, APC Youth Leader Tony Kabaka, who has previously confessed to being a cultist, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abang. During the altercation, Tenebe is heard refusing to leave the premises, stating, “There is nothing on earth that will make me leave this place.” The video quickly went viral, raising public concern.

Sources from the secretariat confirmed that Aziegbemin was in his office when the attack occurred. The PDP condemned the incident as an unwarranted assault designed to disrupt their operations. “This is the latest in a series of outright attacks on the PDP and represents a serious threat to democracy in Edo State,” a spokesperson for the party remarked.

In the video, Tenebe rejects police efforts to mediate, citing disputes over the ownership of the secretariat. “There is nothing that will make me leave. When they were taking it from us, they did not write to the police,” Tenebe says.

The situation intensified when APC supporters, dressed in black, reportedly chased away police officers and vandalized police vehicles with sticks and clubs. The PDP has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Tenebe.

“We demand the swift intervention of the Inspector General of Police and the Edo State Commissioner of Police to restore order, arrest those involved, and return the PDP secretariat to its rightful owners,” said Barr. Anthony Ehilebo, a senior PDP member. He further criticized the police, noting, “Yesterday, a known APC member paraded the streets of Benin firing guns into the air. Today, we are witnessing the police’s failure to act, simply because the perpetrator is part of the ruling party.”