‘They want war’ — Oshiomhole reacts to ‘attack’ on residence in Benin

The Benin residence of Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was reportedly attacked by hoodlums on Saturday evening. 

Speaking after the alleged incident, Oshiomhole said the attackers and their sponsors want a war.

He said those behind the attack are bent on creating a crisis in the state, but that they do not have the numbers to fight dirty.

He asked his supporters to be clam, and to not return ”madness for madness”.

“In a moment like this, it is not madness for madness because many of you I see here, in 2007, you were already strong. During my second term in 2012, you were already strong; Even in 2016, some of you were already deployed as party agents,” he said.

“These people want to create what has not happen for a very long time. They want war and want to cause crisis. They are boasting that they want to crush and crush people. Go and buy crushing machine.

“No man born of a woman can change what God has said. And if God says, no, who can say yes? My own is don’t let them drag you out of the bathroom like Igbo man says and be running after them like the town naked mad men because we are not mad.

“If it comes to the ruffle ruffle that he wants, they don’t have the number. You know that when you start to tell lies, you will have to lie many times to sustain one lie.

“We will not condescend to their level.  But, let me say this. It is clear, Nigeria is a free country. There is freedom of association. Thee is freedom of worship. There is freedom of religion. There is freedom of expression. So, nobody in Nigeria can harass you. Just be the good guys that you are.

“My weapon which is the truth, is more powerful than the weapon of the armed forces in the world. Have I threatened any of you? Have I ever sent any of you to prison? How many of you …have I ever said to any of you that if you do not follow me, I will send you to prison?

“…But, the tradition of Edo people is that if you do something and your father is not happy, he will call you home and say my son, don’t do this again.

“As a father or mother, maturity is the ability to change the habit that you are not happy about. There is no wisdom to do as if you are an angel who has never sinned? Those who want to cast the first stone, may God bless them.

Simon Egbebulam, spokesman of Oshiomhole, told TheCable that the APC national chairman was at a friend’s birthday party when thugs besieged his residence.

He said the thugs, allegedly sponsored by the state government, were repelled by security agents.

”Security operatives and youths of the APC in Edo state on Friday repelled attack by thugs suspected yo be loyal to the state government at the residence of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in Okorotun Street, Government Reservation Area, Benin City,” he said.

“Oshiomhole came for the purpose of a function that took place in Protea hotel which was his aim of coming to Benin City from Abuja.

“While he was away on the function, some thugs believed to be in the other camp, blocked the entrance to his residence, fanning the embers of war.

“Security men on ground dislodge the hoodlums from gaining entrance into the residence. Brave APC youths also resisted the thugs who took to their heel.”

The Edo state government has denied having knowledge of the attack.

“We have no knowledge of the attack. We have also reached out to the Police, and they affirmed that they do not know about such an attack,” it said in a statement issued by Crusoe Osagie, special adviser to the governor on media and communication strategy.

Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, have been having a running battle spawned by political differences.