By Lucky Isibor
There was pandemonium at the Benin Airport Friday evening, when youths of the Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC attacked the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts and Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Senator Matthew Urhoghide for daring to move a motion condemning the withdrawal of $496M for the purchase of Tucano fighter jets by President Muhammadu Buhari without appropriation by the National Assembly.
But the APC supporters who had earlier protested through the streets of Benin City disowning Senator Urhoghide for his motion were at the airport to express disappointment with the motion.
Earlier, the Police and military personnel who were at the airport had chased away PDP supporters who were at the airport to give a rousing welcome to Senator Urhoghide for moving the motion on the floor of the Senate condemning the withdrawal saying it is an impeachable infraction.
The APC youths who were earlier told to move to the exit end of the airport came to the VIP exit of the airport immediately Senator Urhoghide arrived and chanting war songs with security operatives looking the other way as they disrupted his interview with news men.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP Kokumo escorted the Senator back into the VIP lounge pending when tension will die down.
However, few minutes later an unnamed government official who arrived the airport exchanged banters with Senator Urhoghide saying, “so you are the one who wants my president impeached? Come and go out now.”
The unnamed official took his hand saying, “let’s go”.
Just as they were going out of the VIP lounge, the Senator was attacked just as the state Governor was going out of the airport.
The Senator’s cap was removed by one of the attackers.
The police later arrested the state youth leader of the PDP, Arc. Thadus Irabor for granting journalists interview condemning the attack and blaming the police for chasing away PDP youths from the airport thereby paving the way for the APC youths to attack the Senator.
As at the time of filing this report it could not be ascertained if the PDP youth leader has been released by the police and wether or not those who attacked the Senator has been arrested.
Pls don’t post lies on social media. What was the offence of the senator that led to the attack? How do you know those who attacked him are APC people? Is the senator the first PDP high official to be in Benin? No liar will go to heaven
We appreciate your comment. We however as a matter of policy and the topnotch journalism we practice, don’t peddle lies. We don’t make the news, we report it as it is. As to the matter of heaven, we will only join issues with you, if we see you with heaven’s register book. Have a nice day Sir.