Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has thrown down the gauntlet to Arise TV anchor and former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, challenging him to a face-off over what he described as “disrespectful and mischievous” comments made during a live broadcast.
Oshiomhole issued the challenge during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, reacting to a recent episode of Arise TV’s The Morning Show where Abati questioned former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
“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.
The former Edo State governor, known for his fiery rhetoric, dismissed the notion that he held such power within the APC, questioning the logic behind Abati’s line of inquiry.
“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?” he asked.
Though Oshiomhole did not directly mention Abati’s name, his references were unmistakable, including a pointed remark about Abati’s past legal troubles.
“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 stated.
Oshiomhole also took issue with what he perceived as Abati’s deliberate oversight of his contributions to labour movements.
“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,” Oshiomhole said.
In a final swipe, Oshiomhole challenged Abati to settle their differences outside the studio.
“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? If you want to abuse me, don’t hide behind the TV; let’s meet in the street and fight it out,” he declared.
Abati, who was the running mate to Buruji Kashamu in the 2019 Ogun State gubernatorial election under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), lost the race to Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
