Group Faults Obaseki’s Response to Okunbo’s Letter

Peter Uzoho

A group known as New Nigeria Collective (NNC) has criticised Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State over his response to a recent open letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari and Edo people by renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Capt. Idahosa Wells Okunbo.

NNC in a statement signed by its Chairman, Adeola Adewunmi, said Okunbo’s letter did not deserve the kind of reply given to it by the governor, noting that the letter only painted a vivid picture of the issues.

The group said the letter was an indication of a man, who came clean to the public with all the facts before him, and that Obaseki only resorted to emotional blackmail and danced round the issues without paying attention to the clearly identified issues.

“We read with absolute shock and its resultant helplessness, albeit momentarily, all the response put together by Governor Godwin Obaseki, in an attempt to look good before the public against the well documented grouses of one of Benin’s great and illustrious sons, Captain Idahosa Okunbo,” NNC said.

According to NNC, the governor also went further, using his alleged libelous claims through his media team, without any proof, adding that, that exposed the modus operandi of the state.

It said that with the governor’s media handlers still on rampage against Okunbo, for unsubstantiated claims on various social media platforms, the governor must be delusional to have written such a letter just to attract the sympathy of the unsuspecting public.

The group maintained: “Deep down in his conscience and before God, Obaseki knows that all Captain Hosa stated in his statement were true and if he was actually his friend or brother, he should have also known that the Captain does not tell lies.

“As a major stakeholder in Edo State and your brother and friend as you claimed, did you ever tell him you were interested in a second term and therefore needed his support and vote?

“Anyway, we can say unequivocally that Captain Hosa is ready and willing to face the consequences of his choice as indicated in your letter.”

The group said it noted with disdain the governor’s alleged penchant for calling the immediate-past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshomhole, a godfather and yet was the greatest beneficiary of that status.

“Captain Hosa could only have supported the truth and nothing but the truth, rather than draw him into an ethnic war with Oshiomhole,” NNC added.