Oshiomhole and His Deputy Clash Over Attack

There is tension in Edo State over last weekend gun attack on the convoy of Deputy Governor Pius Odubu during a visit to the APC secretariat in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area.

Odubu relived the incident and called on the police to arrest the suspects he fingered in the attack. But his boss, Governor Adams Oshiomhole dismissed it all as “hasty”, saying “preliminary reports suggest that the fracas was caused by thugs loyal to the Odubu Campaign imported in two truck-loads to Auchi, who attacked other party loyalists not sold to the deputy governor’s aspiration”.

Besides, Etsako West party leader Abubakar Akokhia dismissed the claim that Odubu was targeted.

He alleged that the shooting might have been carried out by those in the deputy governor’s convoy.

He said Odubu was not under any threat at any time during the shooting.

At a news conference addressed by a member of the Odubu Campaign Organisation , the deputy governor called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those who attacked him and members of his campaign organisation. He said he had identified “three principal suspects’’ behind the attack.

He urged the police to unearth them and their pay masters, and prosecute them for this felonious act.

According to The Nation, the former APC Minority Chief in the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, who spoke for the organisation, described the attack as “the height of naked display of cruelty, animosity, acrimony, intolerance, gross irresponsibility and man’s inhumanity to man’’.

He said Odubu would not back down from pursuing his ambition to be governor, saying that “in democracy, it is only the people that have the right to choose their leaders”.

“And for those who seek to spill blood on account of a mere party nomination exercise, the God of justice shall bring justice upon them,’’ he said.

Osagie said eight persons including a Department of State Services (DSS) officer and a police Inspector in Odubu’s entourage were injured.

“As we speak, six of them are currently at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) receiving treatment while the other two are still convalescing at a hospital in Auchi,’’ he said.

The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr Godwin Erhahon, at the news conference, described the attack as “madness’’.

“What happened yesterday (Saturday) in Auchi is absolute madness. I want to appeal to APC supporters to remain calm and be friendly ahead of the elections proper.’’

Police Commissioner Chris Ezike, who visited Odubu’s campaign secretariat, said although the command was yet to make any arrest, it had names of suspects and would take action.