The Edo State Government has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accusing him of constantly creating security breaches in the state and holding rallies in defiance of orders.
The government said the former Governor has failed to obey lawful orders both by the state government and the Inspector General of Police and had held rallies in different parts of the state.
Deputy Governor Phillip Shuaibu told newsmen in Abuja that Oshiomhole was not above the law and nobody disobeyed his directives when he was governor.
While denying betraying Oshiomhole, Shuaibu said Oshiomhole remained his father while he is a son even though they are not on the same page politically at the moment
He said: “I am in Abuja to meet with the Inspector General of Police. I have a petition to the Inspector General of Police and to the Director of Department of State Services to the effect that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be arrested by the Police and be arrested by the DSS for the breakdown of law and order that he has consistently perpetrated in Edo state.
“We banned rallies; the IG in a letter also suspended rallies. He disobeyed the orders of the state government, he disobeyed the orders of the IG and feels that he is above the law.
“For us, we have officially come now to drop our petition with the IG to the effect that Oshiomhole is not above the law. He should be arrested for violating the state government order.
“He was a governor before and he knows that nobody violated his orders as governor, because it is not about him, it is about the state. When everybody disobeys laws, then the country becomes a Banana Republic. God forbids.
“That is why we are saying that the IG and the DG of DSS should arrest him and interrogate him for breaching the peace and disobeying government orders and security orders for rallies.
“For us, when the suspended national chairman of the party continually disobeys the law; when opposition party chairmen do same, he becomes a reference point.
“That is why I am here on behalf of the state government to submit a petition to the IG to the effect that the suspended chairman, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole be arrested and prosecuted for breaching the peace of Edo state.”
Shuaibu denied insinuations that he and Governor Obaseki were leaving the party, saying “that statement has been coming on and on. I can categorically tell you that the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and I are in APC and we are not leaving APC.
“The party is stronger today because of the governor of Edo state and when we read such things on the social media, what we just say is that this is another fake news. We are not leaving APC. APC is our party. We formed it and we are solidly on ground to promote good governance and the governor is doing very well.
“Some people are saying because of the endorsement by the PDP and some individuals, that is a sign that we are leaving the party. No. They should read it the other way.
“That is a sign that even other parties are accepting and agreeing to the fact that the governor of Edo state is working and he should be emulated and that is why he is having the endorsements.
“This is the first time the APC and non-APC people are endorsing the governor and I think it should be a pride to everybody. So, when you talk about the leaving the party, it is just one of those guys trying to create a problem.”
Speaking on allegations that he has betrayed the former Labour leader, Shuaibu said: “the issue of betrayal is relative. Whoever has said I betrayed Oshiomhole, I don’t know what they meant by that.
“Oshiomhole remains my father and I remain his son even though presently we are on different pages politically and it is bound to happen. It doesn’t change the fact that he remains my father and it doesn’t change the fact that I remain his son but what is critical is that we have disagreed on the issue of the governor of Edo state.
“I am supporting Gov. Obaseki because he has not changed what we believe in. He has not deviated from what Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole started and the foundation he laid.
“We promised during the electioneering that we were going to build on it and that we will take what he did to the next level and that is exactly what the governor of Edo state is doing.
“What Oshiomhole has seen that is different, I do not know. But as for me and my household and my supporters, we remain committed to the governor. As per politics, we are not on the same page but as a family, he remains my father.”
Shaibu however gave condition for reconciliation with Oshiomhole and being on the same page politically, saying “when he comes to Edo state and endorse Gov. Obaseki and his programmes, then we will be on the same page politically”.
