Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has launched a scathing attack on Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, declaring that Edo was safer under his administration than Anambra was during Obi’s tenure as governor.
Oshiomhole also criticised Obi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders for attacking President Bola Tinubu over the country’s security challenges without offering what he described as practical alternatives.
Speaking on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, the former Edo governor argued that insecurity in Nigeria predates the Tinubu administration, tracing its roots to the period when Atiku served as vice president.
He further questioned Obi’s record on security in Anambra State, alleging that the activities of the Bakassi Boys vigilante group spiralled into widespread kidnapping and lawlessness during his administration.
“Go back to Anambra State and play back. What were the first major decisions that Governor Obiano took when he succeeded Peter Obi as governor?” Oshiomhole said.
According to him, former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano had to demolish properties allegedly linked to kidnappers and members of the Bakassi Boys in an effort to restore order after succeeding Obi.
“Peter Obi could not fix security in Anambra State. It took the intervention of Governor Obiano, who took over from him, to begin to destroy the properties of those who he believed had used them for kidnapping… where wife kidnapped husband, husband kidnapped wife. It got to that level.
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“I was a governor then; my state was safer than Anambra,” he declared.
Oshiomhole also challenged Obi to move beyond criticism and present concrete policy proposals to address Nigeria’s security and economic challenges.
“Everybody knows that things are not perfect, but a statesman must provide answers. We haven’t heard other than this buzzword, ‘do the right thing.’ What is the right thing? What is the left thing?” he asked.
The former governor expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure re-election in the 2027 presidential election, predicting that Obi would be unable to match, let alone surpass, the votes he secured in the 2023 poll.
Oshiomhole served as governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016, while Obi governed Anambra State between 2006 and 2014. Neither Obi nor Atiku had responded to Oshiomhole’s remarks as of the time of filing this report.