Labour Party deputy chairman in Edo State, Chief Patrick Eholor has blasted a palace chief, Chief David Edebiri, Esogban of Bini Kingdom over comments he made against President Goodluck Jonathan.
Edebiri had in a press release, stated that the Bini people will not vote for Jonathan because he received Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi of his ministerial position and gave his ex-wife, Stella Oduah a position.
But addressing a press conference in Benin City, Eholor, who also is a chief of the Bini Palace said it was wrong for Edebiri to play politics with the palace. His words: “If someone like Chief David Edebiri makes such utterances, it’s important for we Binis to distance ourselves from such.
We cannot play politics with the palace. The palace is the palace, Edebiri is on his own. He cannot speak for the average Binis. Let it be clear, I am Chief Patrick Osagienwagbon Eholor, the Enowarie of Utoka. My father is one of the Izobaniyons, I am from Igbesanmwan. I know my history, my father’s dynasty has been on for over 1000 years. We are the only chiefs who will not kneel down in the palace, who will not shave, in case Oba Atokpeghe, anything happens to our fatherm but he is an Esogban, a custodian of the chiefs- we have four high chiefs, including ikhaghanoghe- Ison, Edebiri, Osuma, Iyase, and look at them, all well behaved”.
He further expressed dissapointemnt that a palace chief should be playing politics, accusing him of dancing to the political rhythms of Governor Oshiomhole whom he stated ‘greases his palms’ in order to politicise the palace: “He is the same man when teachers were fired, this same man joined Adams to fire them. What kind of chief are we talking about?”
“Chief Edebiri has no moral justification, has no right to speak for we Binis. We don’t play politics in the palace. We are kingmakers. We support whoever we want to vote for, but that is a private business. Edebiri has no right to say that they are going to punish Goodluck Jonathan with our votes because he denied Ogiemwonyi ministerial position. Let Ogeinwonyi come out himself and cry. It’s like saying if Adams Oshiomhole loses elections, no one should greet him again. Your heir apparent lost an election and he was now given a portfolio without meaning. It’s unconstitutional for the government to do that”.
Eholor appealed to Bini people to be wary of the utterance of the Esogban, as he does not speak the minds of the Binis: “I want to beg the Edo people that the Esogban does not have any moral right to speak for us, and we therefore want to warn him to desist from making such utterances. We don’t insult our seniors, but we may have no choice than to start disrespecting him. And I owe no one any apology”.
He also said that the matter has nothing to do with his political affiliation: “politics is politics. We Binis have not concluded to vote for any party, whether I am a chieftain of Labour, PDP, APC, the Bini position must be neutral. So for him to come out now and try to mislead the people that the palace is playing partisan politics by supporting anybody, that is my concern in the whole matter”.
