APC, PDP in Verbal War over Alleged Assassination Attempt on Oshiomhole

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has insinuated that the road crash involving the entourage of former state Governor, Adams Oshiomole, on a trip to a campaign event last Tuesday was a deliberate attempt to assassinate him.

Two policemen lost their lives when a truck reportedly rammed into the former governor’s convoy at Oluku junction while heading to Usen, Ovia South West Local Government Area for a scheduled APC campaign event.

In a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the state APC, Chris Azebamwan, the party alleged that the crash was a ‘premeditated plot’ to take the life of the former state governor who he said has been a thorn in the flesh of the Peoples Democratic Governor (PDP) since his return from Abuja to join the electioneering of the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Azebamwan, who chronicled previous instances where the state Governor and the candidate of the PDP, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his Deputy, Mr. Philip Shaibu, had both allegedly threatened and orchestrated attacks on Oshiomhole, said the context leaves no doubt on the intention of the incident.

“From all indications, including factual accounts from members of the entourage and other eye-witnesses, the unfortunate crash which took place at Oluku Junction near Benin-city, was a plotted and near-successful assassination attempt.

But in its reaction, the state chapter of PDP has described as preposterous and irresponsible, the claim that last Tuesday’s accident involving the convoy of Oshiomhole was an assassination attempt. The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, who spoke to journalists on behalf of the party’s Campaign Council yesterday in Benin-city, said: “The claim is childish, irresponsible and preposterous, and if anything, Oshiomhole should be answering questions over his convoy’s frequent involvement in road crashes that have claimed the lives of about 10 persons since 2008.”

The PDP explained that “before the latest accident that claimed the lives of two security personnel and left others severely injured last Tuesday at Oluku, there had been at least three other fatal accidents involving Oshiomhole’s convoy, or is the APC saying that all the crashes were assassination attempts?”

Nehikhare said: “In December 2008, five persons, including the then Chief Press Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Chris Nwachukwu, and the Personal Assistant, Mr. Greg Haruna, lost their lives in a motor accident along Auchi Road.

“According to reports, the accident occurred at Agbede in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state when the Kia Cerato official car of the CPS had a head-on collision with a mini-bus belonging to the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Delta State chapter, while on their way to Auchi for a friend’s wedding ceremony among other fatal road accidents.”