Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon Philip Shaibu, has denied allegations by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that he (Shaibu) was responsible for Saturday’s attack on the convoy of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu at Oshiomhole’s residence.
Shaibu said the different statements given by Oshiomhole as regards the incident did not add up.
Against that backdrop, he urged Oshiomhole to be courageous enough to open up.
Shaibu spoke in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Musa Ebomhiana, on Monday night.
Ireportnews recalls that Oshiomhole had insisted that the Deputy Governor mobilized over 200 commercial motorcycle riders (Okada riders) and thugs to the venue of the convocation of the Edo University, Iyamho to embarrass him and his guests.
But Shaibu said Oshiomhole’s accusation by itself was contradictory in the sense that it alluded to the rising reception that greeted Governor Godwin Obaseki by the youths of Etsako West on his arrival at Iyamho, the previous day on Friday, 1st November, 2019.
The Deputy Governor said he was nowhere near Iyamho on that Friday as he was fully engaged in official matters in Benin.
He said it was a joyous reception, no violence nor negative incident occurred on that day as youths were only on ground to show solidarity with the government of Godwin Obaseki.
According to the statement, “The Deputy Governor was himself a victim of the Saturday attack, considering the fact that he was actually in the same bus with the Governor, Oba of Lagos and other dignitaries.
The simple truth is that the national chairman felt offended and intimidated by the huge crowd of party youths that came out in solidarity with the Governor. He then decided to “teach” the Governor and his Deputy a lesson by organizing those misguided elements to take up arms against the state.
“I see this as clearly a case of entrapment, because the national chairman invited them to his house knowing very well that he had prepared for them, an attack by his political infantry as the statement dished out at the Sunday press conference did not add up.
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“It is a pity that our national chairman now sees okada riders as thugs considering the fact that these were the same people who were in the vanguard of his struggle to reclaim his stolen mandate. He rode on their backs to judicial victory in 2007/2008.
“How come that the fighters of justice are now being labeled as thugs by no other person than the SOLE beneficiary of their struggle. So, position can really change a man?
“The Deputy Governor is a man of peace and honour who has never been associated with thuggery or merchants of violence. As much as I would not want to banter words with our highly respected national chairman. Nigerians know better between him and Edo State Deputy Governor who has thugs as associates, fondly referred to by him as ‘my infantry division’.”
