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Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, yesterday, denied allegation by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, that he mobilised over 200 commercial motorcycle riders and thugs to the venue of convocation of Edo University, Iyamho, to embarrass him and his guests.
Reacting to Oshiomhole’s press briefing on the attack on invited guests at Iyamho last weekend, the deputy governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, said he had no hand in the unfortunate attack on the governor, Oba of Lagos and other dignitaries.
He said Oshiomhole’s accusation is contradicting in the sense that it alluded to the reception that greeted Governor Godwin Obaseki by the youths of Etsako West on his arrival in Iyamho, on Friday, November 1.
“It was a joyous reception, no violence nor negative incident occurred on that day as the youths were only on ground to show solidarity with the government of Obaseki.
“Incidentally, the deputy governor was nowhere near Iyamho on that Friday as he was fully engaged in official matters in Benin.
“In fact, the deputy governor was himself a victim of the Saturday attack, considering the fact that he was 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 organising those misguided elements to take up arms against the state. He should be courageous enough to own up to his design.
“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.
“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 labelled as thugs by no other person than the sole beneficiary of their struggle.
“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 who we perceive as a living political legend, Nigerians know better between him and Edo State deputy governor who has thugs as associates, fondly referred to by him as ‘my infantry division’,” Shaibu said in the statement.
