Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon Philip Shuaibu, has denied allegations
by National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole, that he (Shuaibu) 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.

Shuaibu said the different statements given by Oshiomhole as regards the incident did not add up.

He urged Oshiomhole to be courageous enough to own up.

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 Shuaibu said Oshiomhole’s accusation by itself was
contradicting 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.

Shuaibu
who spoke in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Musa
Ebomhiana, on Monday evening 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.

“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”.”

Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the Edo
State Governor on Political Matters, Edo-South, Hon Osaigbovo Iyoha,
has denied allegations that he was sighted inside the bus that was
taking Obaseki and other dignitaries to the Iyamho residence of
Oshiomhole.

Iyoha said it was worrisome that Oshiomhole alleged
on Sunday 13th October 2019 that he organised and conspired with thugs
to attack his residence in Benin City.

He described the accusation is false and defamatory.

According
to him, “Already, he has written a petition against me, which I have
gone to answer at the Police Headquarters in Abuja. The Commissioner of
Police in Edo State also came out publicly to refute his claim.

“Two
days after I returned from the Police interrogation in Abuja,
Oshiomhole has again alleged that Governor Godwin Obaseki; Oba of Lagos,
Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Pro-Chancellor of Edo University, Iyamho, Prof.
T.O.K. Audu and other dignitaries, who attended the convocation of the
Edo University, were attacked on their way to his Iyamho home because
the thugs saw me in the governor’s convoy.

“Oshiomhole and his
media aides have twisted the story of the condemnable incident more
times than we can recall, which only points to a harebrained attempt at a
cover-up. They had earlier claimed that the attack was masterminded by
the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu. If this earlier version
was the case, one wonders how this new version holds true.

“His
litany of lies without regard for his person as a former National Labour
Congress (NLC) President, former governor and now National Chairman of
the ruling party is appalling and quite worrisome.

“On the said
date, I was at the convocation ceremony with Governor Obaseki but I
never left the university premises throughout the programme. I arrived
with the governor within the premises of the university on board the
helicopter and left from same location.

“Nothing will take me to
the house of someone who barely two days before took me to the Police
Headquarters from Benin City to faraway Abuja under trumped-up charges
that I led thugs to his house to cause mayhem. It still amazes me how
easy it has become for the National Chairman to cook up lies to haunt
his assumed enemies.

“The former governor’s new found love for
false statements is a threat to the progress of our party, Edo State and
the entire country. He must restrain from these statements which are
attempts at character assassination as he is endangering my life. It can
only be assumed that he is trying to hold me up so that birds of prey,
thugs employed and empowered by him, can feast on me.

“I restate
that I do not have any problem with him. He has his work cut out for him
at this time as a National Chairman of the APC, as elections are coming
up in Bayelsa and Kogi states in a couple of days. Oshiomhole as APC
chairman should channel his energy to making sure that our party, the
APC emerges victorious in those elections rather than haunting me for no
just cause. He should please leave me alone.”

Source:- Thenationonlineng