Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, has spoken out about how he felt when he learned that Godwin Obaseki, the current governor of the state, intended to have him arrested for allegedly being the one to start the protests that broke out last week over the new naira notes.
WITHIN NIGERIA reported that Oshiomhole told some journalists in Benin City that his successor lacks the authority to order the arrest of a citizen and that his position contributed to people’s reluctance toward state police because they could be easily abused by some state governors.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) leader revealed his initial reaction upon learning of his impending arrest in a new interview with Vanguard.
He claimed that he laughed at the report because the governor had no right to order the man’s arrest.
He said;
So when I read it initially in the Social Media and later I saw it in a section of the media that Obaseki had ordered the Police to arrest me I had a very good laugh. First because Obaseki does not know that he does not have the power to order the arrest of a citizen and that is the reason why some people have reservations about when people like Obaseki talk about State Police because the law is clear, if a crime has been committed it is up to the security agencies to investigate and if they find someone who they think may have had the need to invite the person for questioning.
The police have not and I will be surprised if they have now degenerated to taking orders from a politician who is faced with the crisis of confidence and the people have been voting against him there are huge issues of the legitimacy of his government and he thinks that he can order police to arrest whoever he considers to be his political opponent.
So it is unfortunate, but I thought that you Media people would have asked him and if you did not remember it is no not too late to ask him, “Mr. Governor so Comrade also caused the riot in Warri where Okowa is the sitting governor, Comrade also caused the riot in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oshiomhole also went to Kwara State to organize protest in an APC State? So but if you did not ask him maybe you have your reason. But let me say that Obaseki is a victim of his own double standard. He says one thing in the morning he does another the following day.