By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin
The heir apparent and Crown prince to the royal throne of Benin Kingdom, HRH (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa (the Edaiken N’Uselu) has distanced himself and the palace from a tactical plea by the ruling Party, All Progressive Party, APC, for a possible endorsement ahead September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo state draws closer.
Crown Prince Eheneden made the statement in the revered Oba Palace on in Benin City when he received Governorship delegates led by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State of the ruling party APC to commiserate with him over the transition of his father, Erediauwa, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba of Benin Kingdom, Gov. Aregbesola in his message however, tactically veer to discussing politics by thanking the palace for allegedly denying former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan visit to the Oba of Benin at the heat of the 2015 presidential election.
He said: “Your royal highness, we are here today to look at the conditions and the state of our party in preparation for the election coming up in September. Of course, we are confidence of the palace of the Edo Kingdom had been a progressive palace in every sense of it.
When I got here this afternoon and look at the throne on which you seat, on which you are now, I pray within me, that it will not, it never will be our own turn to experience what the president once experienced here when with all their powers and might, the palace refused to give a visiting president the reception that office deserved.
“We are conscious of that and expressed the profound gratitude to the palace of Benin Kingdom, the joy, the appreciation and the huge debt of gratitude that our party certainly owns this palace,” the governor said.
Adding that, “having satisfied the original objective of our coming, which is to motivate, encourage and to begin the process of making our party as strong, if not stronger in preparation of the gubernatorial election in September, we felt it is could be totally, if not irresponsible of us to avoid a visit to you in this palace.
“So in strict obedience to the direction of the leadership of our party, we are here to one, share the mood of the palace and as well thank you for your unalloyed support, commitment and interest in the development our party has started and its continuing in your kingdom.
“We are equally to reassuring you that as we are looking up to the two term of our governor here, that our party is committed as ever to continued the tradition of peace, progress, development and security that we are noted for. That is the summary,” he explained.
In his response, crown prince Eheneden N’ Uselu thanked the delegation for finding time to come again to visit him while stating that, the palace practices a non partisan role to all political platforms.
He said: “I want to thank you all for coming again and also to make a point that the Benin palace, the royal family, the Oba of Benin, is non partisan. I want to reiterate here that the Oba of Benin is non partisan. We pray for everybody.
“As I mentioned in the press release before the general election, if you will cast your mind back to that press release, when there were a lot of messages here and there that my father sent me to Abuja, message from the throne, they call it, I made it clear because I was compelled to make that press release. I made it clear that the Oba of Benin sent me and he is non partisan. My father with the entire greatest legacy he left with us is prayer mood. That we should pray. That all the Chiefs should pray to God Almighty and our ancestors to please present, give us a governor that will remember, that will do good; do right by the land; put food in the poor man’s table; respect traditional institution. May the Lord God Almighty and our ancestor give us such a governor.
Crown prince Eheneden also use the occasion to expressed that his fervent prayers is that may the APC led government under comrade Adams Oshiomhole end peacefully.
“And my prayer for governor and our governor here has always been that he end his tenure peacefully without blemishes to his administration,” he said.
