‘Let’s Fight’ – Oshiomhole Challenges Abati Over Okowa Defection

A visibly angry Senator Adams Oshiomhole, (Edo-North) has challenged Arise TV anchor and former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, to a street fight over the defection of former vice presidential running mate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ifeanyi Okowa.

Oshiomhole while speaking on Channels TV took exception to Abati’s line of questions he asked Okowa concerning his defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Although the former Edo governor did not call Abati while speaking, his illustration and the event that followed pointed to Abati especially when he repeated the question Abati asked Okowa.

Abati had asked Okowa,‘did you get permission from Oshiomhole that your sins will now be forgiven before you decided to decamp to APC?

Abati’s question stemmed from Oshimhole’s comment when he was the APC National Chairman that, “We have some PDP defectors. They are Henry Tenebe, Iluobe….Iluobe means I have done something wrong. Yes, once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven.”

He was speaking in January 2019 in his state of Edo during the APC presidential rally for the reelection of Muhammadu Buhari.

The comment has remained a reference point for mocking the APC.

But Oshiomhole could not stomach what he described as “disrespectful” and “mischievous” comments made on live television by the former presidential spokesman and pulled punches demanding that Abati should appear for a “street fight” to end it all.

“I was particularly shocked that a senior editor could ask the immediate past governor of Delta state, Okowa, mischievously, I must say, with all due respect, ‘did you get permission from Oshiomhole that your sins will now be forgiven before you decided to decamp to APC?’” Oshiomhole said.

“How can you ask that? What is my status? I am in the legislature. Is the legislature responsible for the prosecution of anyone wrong in any way?” Oshiomhole questioned.

He also accused the veteran broadcaster of harbouring personal grudges, referencing Abati’s arrest by the EFCC following his time as spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“The man who made that statement was at a time invited by the EFCC after he was Jonathan’s spokesman, shamelessly. Thereafter, EFCC arrested him. Was I the one who granted him bail to leave PDP to go where he is?” he asked.

Taking on Abati further, Oshiomhole, who was once president of the Nigeria Labour Congress lambasted Abati for omitting his contributions to labour movements, especially during May Day commemorations.

“Even on Labour Day, he was saying some labour leaders who had been involved in picketing and fought for workers; he could not even credit me with the fact that I led the protest.

“This is a guy who wrote ‘Oshiomhole the people’s president’ when I was president of the NLC. “Rather than crediting me with that, he said when they leave NLC, they now go and become governors,” he said.

“If you are angry because you wanted to be a deputy governor and you lost an election in Ogun state, is that the reason you are paranoid, that every opportunity you want to abuse me?” as a reference to Abati’s ill-fated bid to be Ogun State deputy governor to Buruji Kashamu in 2019.

They lost to APC candidate Dapo Abiodun.

Not done yet, Oshimhole threw the gauntlet challenging Abati, “If you want to abuse me, don’t hide behind the TV; let’s meet in the street and fight it out.”

‘Let’s Fight’ – Oshiomhole Challenges Abati Over Okowa Defection is first published on The Whistler Newspaper