A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Sunday accused governor Adams Oshiomhole of allegedly masterminding the attack on one of his properties in Benin at about 10:30 pm on Saturday, with materials assumed to be explosive device.

He alleged that the explosive, which was detonated on the building, just some 200 Metres to one of the gates of the Edo State Government House, left the ceilings of the gate house of the property destroyed with a small crater on the ground at the entrance gate.

A man who lives in the neighbourhood told newsmen that he heard a loud explosion at about 10:30 pm on Saturday but that residents were not sure of the direction of the sound.

While addressing newsmen on Saturday at the sight of the incident alongside the state chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, the victim, who was South South vice-chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, but decamped to the PDP in May, accused governor Oshiomhole of instigating the attack, adding that he had persistently threatened him since he deserted the APC.

“I received a call from one of the occupants of the house at about 10:45 yesterday, Saturday that an explosive had been detonated at the compound. I quickly rushed there and I actually found out that a bomb was detonated,” Ize-Iyamu alleged.

“I want to say that I am not too surprise at what happened, though the dimension is shocking. I categorically say that I hold the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, responsible for what has happened.

“In the past few days, he has threatened my person in the public. Since I left the APC, it has become Oshiomhole’s past time to mention my name at every opportunity. Indeed, I think it has become an obsession for him to mention my name”, he stated.

Also speaking on the attack, Edo PDP chairman said he was not shocked at the incident, adding that he had alerted security operatives about plots by the Edo State government and the APC to unleash violence on some leaders of the PDP and their properties.

The Edo State police command, in a statement signed by its PRO in Benin on Saturday, confirmed the incident, stating that items alleged to be Improvised Explosive Devices, IED, were thrown at the mini-estate.

The statement added that the IEDs used in the attack have been carried by the bomb disposal unit for examination while some persons had been arrested.

Meanwhile the state government has described the accusation by Ize Iyamu a lie aimed at creating a crisis in the state.

In a statement issued and signed by the state commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, he said the claim of a bomb attack and other statements made by the Ize-Iyamu, are desperate efforts put in place by the Peoples Democratic Party to spread lies and plant fear in the minds of the people of Edo State with a view to paint pictures of a crisis.

“By Ize-Iyamu’s ludicrous account and his haste to accuse Comrade Oshiomhole of culpability for a supposed crime yet to be investigated, we are persuaded to believe he is merely acting out a script. It is laughable indeed that any sane man will be targeting an obscure clinic that is, at best, now moribund. Ize-Iyamu’s wild allegation fits into PDP’s jaded style of stage-managing assaults on its agents to be used as pretext by its thugs to attack officials of Edo State Government and agents of the APC”. Odion said.

He further absolved the governor of any act of violence, stressing that even when Oshiomhole was the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, he was known for peace.

“Against the backdrop of this latest purported attack on his wife’s clinic, which we believe was stage-managed, we wish to alert the Police to put Ize-Iyamu and his close-travelers under close watch as allegations of this nature had always been the prelude to staging an attack on APC members in the state in the past,” he said.