Edo Diaspora Action Committee (EDAC) has insisted that it was not the duty of the state government to warehouse the statutory allocation meant for Benin Traditional Council under any guise, adding that such action amounts to illegality and wickedness.
Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare, had said the funds were warehoused to enable government resolve some pending issues,
But EDAC, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Edwin Obabaifo, faulted the claim arguing that there was no crisis in the BTC. It claimed the Obaseki-led administration decided to withhold the salaries of traditional rulers due to his alleged disrespect for the Palace of the Oba of Benin.
“In what appears a panic response to our clarion call, in conjunction with other well-meaning and bonafide sons and daughters of Benin, and in defence of our heritage and monarch, the Obaseki administration in Edo State is still making failed effort to defend illegality and further denigrate the Palace of the Oba.
“Aside the tissues of lies being parroted in the said reaction(s), we ask in all reasonableness the purpose, purport or necessity of a 1979 enactment that focuses on highlighting disparity in an administrative allowance that was ever observed in disobedience right from the inception of the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration in Edo State.
“Impeccable information coming out from the Edo State Government House and other sources, already in the public domain, not only indicate a hatchet job in the making, with the full compliment of a ‘task force’ commissioned to that effect, the unrelentlessness by the state executive has continued to raise eyebrows.
“Governor Obaseki’s moves are not only suspicious, but sinister and highly treacherous. It must be exposed. We are asking the Governor to take back his Greek gift, the Palace of our great monarch, Oba of Benin, does not need such a gift, because the intent of that gift is evil and demonic. Godwin Obaseki is not the first to be Governor of Edo State and will not be the last. The duty of a governor is to provide the basic needs of the people, but in this case, Obaseki has since abandoned governance, concentrating only on matters that will denigrate the Palace of the Oba of Benin,” it stated.
“We insist that the state government’s explanation holds no water, rather, the Obaseki-led administration in Edo State is perfecting plans to divide the Royal Stool in Edo South. But, we are glad the Benin people are not cowards. We will resist such attempt, because the authority of the Oba of Benin is sacrosanct and must remain so.”
“As a responsible body, we once again call on the government of Edo State to honourably retrace its steps, in the unwarranted attack on the Omo N’Oba and the Benin Royal Palace. This is all we sought at this point,” it stated.