Edo 2024: Elders express disapproval of insults towards Oba of Benin by LP supporters

The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, is the target of what a group of elders in Edo State have dubbed a “unwarranted barrage of insults and abuses” from members of the Labour Party and Olumide Akpata, the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

Under the auspices of the Edo Socio-Cultural Advancement and Good Governance Initiative, the elders voiced shock and displeasure on social media platforms regarding what they called the “childish, unwarranted, and unacceptable behaviour” of some Labour Party followers.

Obasanjonews.com remembers that on Saturday, just after opening the party’s campaign office in front of the September 21 gubernatorial election, Peter Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Akpata paid a courtesy call to the Oba’s palace.

In an attempt to win over the traditional monarch, Akpata frequently referred to himself as a “son of the palace” during the visit, using both the local dialect and English.

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Oba Ewuare II, however, later refuted the assertion.

A video footage circulating online shows how the Oba quickly refuted Akpata’s allegation, saying he had contacted one of his chiefs to confirm Akpata’s assertions and discovered the candidate had no connection to the Palace, either close or distant.

A few of the LP guber candidate’s supporters expressed their displeasure with the decision by angrily assaulting the Oba on social media.

The Elders’ group spokesman, Comrade Melvin Irabor, acknowledged that the Oba was correct to refute Akpata’s claim to be the “son of the palace” in a press release that was provided to Obasanjonews.com on Tuesday.

“Irabor stated that our Oba was not inappropriate in correcting the false statements and implication made by Barr. Olumide Akpata, the candidate for the Labour Party, regarding his claim to be the ‘Son of the Palace.’”

He said that Akpata’s followers were bombarding them with a “barrage of abuses” directed at the esteemed Oba of Benin on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Irabor read aloud a few of the “disappointing comments,” such as one from a user characterising the Oba as a “useless ruler” and another speculating that if Akpata had brought “money full of ‘Ghana must go,’” the Oba would have “warmly received.”

The group stressed that the Oba of Benin must remain apolitical and correct any candidate making “erroneous remarks and insinuations” since he is the “mouthpiece of the gods and the revered royal father of the kingdom.”

“All of the candidates running in this election have our Oba’s blessing and support.” Irabor said, “He is the father of all of them and he wishes them all well.”

The elders issued a warning to the Labour Party followers, saying that comments directed towards the Oba would be viewed as a “affront on the palace,” and they urged them to stop.

All political parties were urged to run their campaigns “democratically and keep the campaign issues-based,” according to their demands.