The face-off between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday took another dimension as the State government submitted a written petition to the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the State Security Service (DSS) demanding the immediate arrest of the National Chairman for breaching the state law banning political rally.
Addressing journalists in Abuja after a meeting of APC Governors’ Sub-committee on governance with the National Assembly leadership of which Obaseki is a Co-Chairman, the Edo State Governor denied reported plans to dump APC for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Philip Shuaibu, said part of reasons he was in Abuja was to submit a petition over the breach of law banning political rally in the state by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
He said: “I am in Abuja to meet with the IG. I have a petition to the IG and to the Director of DSS 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’s order.
“He (Oshiomhole) 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 forbid. And 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.
“So, 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, so 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.
Reacting to reports that Obaseki was actually planning to leave the APC, Shuaibu said: “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 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 the 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 leaving the party, it is just one of those guys trying to create a problem.”
