“Stop politicising everything”, Mayaki chides ADC over Pa Iduoriyekemwen’s arrest, release

…..Says Okpebholo should be left out of private disputes

…..Questions alleged arrest of community surveyor

…..Welcomes 90-year-old’s release

“We are glad Pa Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen has been released by the police. He was never kidnapped or abducted”, the Director of Media of the Edo State Presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly Campaign Council, Mr John Mayaki, has said.

Besides, Mayaki urged the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to stop politicising every law-enforcement action in the state following the reported arrest.

Pa Iduoriyekemwen is the father of the ADC candidate for Edo South Senatorial District, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

The ADC members raised alarms that he was kidnapped. This is not true. They later raised another that Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Commissioner of police ordered for his abduction which has also been confirmed as false.

But the Senatorial candidate of the ADC, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen had addressesed the press this morning saying it was not unconnected to community land.

Mayaki said attempts to link Governor Monday Okpebholo to the incident without publicly establishing evidence of his involvement amounted to unnecessary politicisation of the matter while hailing the release of the nonagenarian.

He also referred to a video circulating over the incident which allegedly indicated that the surveyor of the community was also taken in for questioning.

Mayaki said: “If the community surveyor and Okaighele were also arrested, then the reasonable question is whether there is an underlying land dispute being investigated.

“Is the surveyor also an ADC candidate? Is he also contesting election? Is he also related to somebody contesting an election? Why must every police action suddenly be presented as an attack by Governor Okpebholo?

“The ADC should stop politicising everything and allow the facts surrounding this matter to be established.”

He said political affiliation should neither shield anybody from lawful investigation nor deprive anyone of his constitutional rights.

Mayaki added that Pa Iduoriyekemwen’s advanced age required that he be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law.

“We have received information that Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen has been released and is now free to return to his family. We welcome that development, particularly considering his age.

“But his reported release should also encourage everybody to lower the political temperature and allow the appropriate authorities to explain what happened and why.

“If there is a complaint involving land or any other private dispute, let those involved address it through the appropriate institutions. Governor Okpebholo and the APC should not automatically be dragged into it simply because the son of one of those involved is contesting an election.”

“Let’s stop politicising everything. Let the police account for police actions, let those involved in the dispute answer whatever lawful questions may arise, and leave Governor Okpebholo and the APC out of matters for which no evidence has connected them,” he said.