Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo , Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediuwa in a press statement has denied reports which suggested that he shunned President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President, Nnamadi Sambo, Chief Tony Anenih and other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during their visit to the Benin monarch at his palace last Saturday.
Jonathan and other leaders of the PDP were in Benin City, the Edo State capital, for the governorship rally towards the July 14, 2012 governorship poll and was reported to have been shunned by the Benin monarch.
The monarch, while reacting in a press statement signed by the secretary to the Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Irabor, described the report as mischievous.
“The attention of the Palace has been drawn to certain mischievous publications in some national newspapers on the recent visit to Oba’s palace by President Goodluck Jonathan. The palace would like to make it clear that the Benin monarch did not shun Mr. President and the PDP members that came to visit him,” the palace stated.
The Oba advised politicians to avoid violence in the forthcoming election, stressing that the meeting with the president by the monarch in his inner chamber was, indeed, a mark of respect and love for the president.
“It was respect for the monarch to see the president under the difficult circumstances.”
“The public is reminded that, two weeks ago, the Omo N’ Oba waited for over two hours in his open office, where he received the vice-president, Dr. Namadi Sambo. The monarch uses the medium to advise politicians to shun violence in Edo State,” as politics should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, he added.