RULE OF LAW UNDER THREAT, PDP SAYS AFTER PEDRO OBASEKI ASSAULT. (PHOTO).

 Rule of law under threat, PDP says after Pedro Obaseki assault

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the alleged assault, stripping and public humiliation of Dr Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, describing the incident as a barbaric and premeditated act of political violence.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, the Edo State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, alleged that the attack was carried out by a mob identified as overzealous youth members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the football field of Uwa Primary School, along Igbesamwan Street, Benin City, where Dr Obaseki had gone to play football.

According to reports, the victim was attacked over alleged disrespectful remarks against the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II. Viral video footage showed the mob dragging him from the field and forcing him towards the Oba’s Palace.

Reacting to the incident, Osa-Ogbegie said what transpired was not a spontaneous outburst but a calculated ambush.

“Dr Obaseki was accosted by a mob, harassed, threatened with death, stripped naked and forcibly dragged towards the Palace of the Oba of Benin,” he said. “The videos circulating leave no room for doubt. This was barbarism in its rawest form, evil, uncivilised and utterly repugnant.”

The PDP spokesman stressed that the actions of the attackers did not reflect the values, culture or history of the Benin people.

“Benin civilisation is renowned for dignity, restraint and respect for human worth. The hooligans who carried out this atrocity do not speak for Benin and are a disgrace to its culture,” the statement read.

Describing Dr Obaseki as an illustrious son of Benin, the PDP said he posed no threat to public peace, noting that his scholarship, media engagement and advocacy had contributed positively to Edo State and Nigeria.

The party warned against attempts to justify the assault under the guise of traditional grievance, insisting that no palace or tradition condones torture, stripping or degrading treatment.

“If an offence is alleged, the police station — not the street — is the lawful venue. No mob, political gang or individual is above the law,” Osa-Ogbegie stated.

The PDP also questioned reports that Dr Obaseki was later taken to a police station, asking why the victim of the attack was treated as a suspect while his alleged assailants remained at large.

“This inversion of justice strikes at the heart of the rule of law,” the party said.

Calling on the Commissioner of Police in Edo State to act decisively, the PDP accused the APC-led government of tolerating political violence through silence and inaction.

According to the party, the incident further damages Edo State’s public image, portraying it as unsafe and intolerant at a time when it should be attracting investment and goodwill.

The PDP expressed sympathy to Dr Obaseki and his family and demanded the immediate identification, arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the assault, regardless of political affiliation.

It also called for a clear disassociation by traditional institutions from the incident, a public explanation from the Edo State Government and police authorities, and concrete steps to dismantle political thuggery and restore the rule of law in the state.