By Tajudeen Issa
The Presidential standard-bearer of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that the former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, lied about security in Anambra State during his (Obi’s) tenure.
Speaking at the Youth Conference of APC, a party he was their past chairman, Oshiomhole said it was Obi’s successor that started demolishing houses of kidnappers in Anambra State. Oshiomhole also said that it was Obi that brought the Bakassi Boys into the state.
Replying through his Media Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, Obi stated that the records were clear over who did what on security in Anambra State.
Citing mischief and bias as Oshoimhole’s motivation, Obienyem said: “It is a pity that a former governor, who ought to be informed, would credit the bringing into the state of Bakassi boys to Mr. Peter Obi, when elementary enquiry would have shown any genuine seeker that it was under Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, which was even before Sen. Chris Ngige, that Bakassi people operated in Anambra State.”
Obienyem said that Obi had always said on countless fora that as a private citizen, it was his witnessing of the killing of Prophet Eddy of Nawgu by Bakassi Boys without compunction and the arbitrament of the law that contributed to his entrance into politics – to restore sanity, humanness, decency and sanity to the society.
On the claim that it was after Obi that the demolition of kidnappers’ houses started, Obienyem said it was a childish, condemnable and shameless lie. In his words: “Obi was actually the person that started the demolition of buildings associated with kidnapping in Nigeria, which other governors started to emulate. Evidence abounds of when various newspapers reported the demolition of houses by Obi as in https://thenationonlineng.net/obi-demolishes-kidnap-suspects-homes/amp/; https://newsexpressngr.com/news/472-Breaking-News-Obi-keeps-promise-demolishes-houses-of-king-of-kidnappers ; https://www.nairaland.com/1084091/anambra-demolishes-houses-kidnap-robbery, but we will refer Oshiomhole and his likes to the statement by principal actors during those fevered times.”
Also, Obienyem provided copious statements from former Commissioners of Police in Anambra State on the matter. Starting with former Commissioner of Police, Bello Amusu, he quoted his interview and also provided a link to it (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/09/29/bello-the-security-anambra-is-enjoying-today-was-as-a-result-of-the-efforts-of-peter-obi/) , on how Obi approached security.
“There were lots of innovations brought about by Mr. Peter Obi at the police headquarters at his expense. He provided money, we put up structures and the state headquarters was given a face lift.
“He financed state headquarters, fenced it, provided infrastructure, procured communications vehicles, armoured cars, and provided weekly allowances of all officers and men of Anambra State Police Command. So, morale was very high during his reign.”
