GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Muhammed Adoke, nearly exchanged blows inside the Council Chambers before the commencement of Tuesday’s Council of State meeting while arguing over the handling of the prosecution of Oshiomhole’s late aide’s murder case.Trouble started when Adoke approached the governor and apparently joked about the wrongful referral to him by Edo State Attorney General on the ongoing prosecution of suspects in the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, the Principal Private Secretary to the governor who was shot dead by assailants last year in Benin City.
Oshiomhole took exception to Adoke’s statement as he argued that the matter was referred by the Police to the AGF contrary to the claim by Adoke.
The governor who rose to his feet from where he was seated, charged at the AGF and had to be restrained by the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe and Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan. Oshiomhole accused Adoke of not showing reverence to the office of the governor.
The situation resulted into a heated argument with both men trying to outdo each other as the council members including former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, former President Shehu Shagari and fomer Chairman of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan, waited for the arrival of President Goodluck Joanthan.
Speaking to State House correspondents later, Oshiomhole explained that he was angry because Adoke had trivialized a murder case that he (the governor) was committed to unravelling, adding that if the AGF could not respect him as an individual, he should respect the office he occupies because he was duly elected, unlike him that was appointed.
He noted that Adoke was wrong to question the competence of Edo State Attoney-General, when in fact the case was referred to him by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
According to him “The issue is that he was saying my Attorney General should have known what to do, that he has nothing to do with the matter. And I simply asked him who referred the matter to him? Was it my attorney general?
“The matter was referred to him by the Deputy Inspector General of Police. And I asked him who should know better, if the Deputy Inspector General of Police refers a matter that he ought to have referred to the state, he chose to refer it to the Federal Attorney General, who is the one dragging him into the matter? Who is the one politicising the matter?
“Should we assume that a DIG did not know that that offence of murder is a state offence? And if he knew it was a state offence, why did he refer it to the Federal Attorney General. And I said if he has any complain, he should complain to to the DIG who referred the case to him. And of course, the rest you witnessed.
“In any event, we are dealing with a factual issue. If a case was wrongly referred to the Federal Attorney General by the Nigerian police, who is to blame?
“In any event, we also complained that this matter ought to have been referred to Edo State DPP not federal because it is a state offense, committed in Edo State.
“I mean you know, it is like a case of a he-goat when the family is happy, they sacrifice the he-goat to celebrate. When the child is ill, the native doctor says sacrifice the he-goat so that the child will get better. So, head or tail the he-goat is in trouble.
“Here I am, my Private Secretary was killed and nobody seems to bother. I am doing my best to raise the issue because that is the least I owe to someone who gave his life, and someone else who does not think life is important. For him it is a matter to trivialize and joke about.
“When it comes to death I don’t joke, you don’t joke with life and death. The essence of governance is to protect lives and property, that is fundamental, even in poverty, people need to feel safe and secured.
“Nobody has a right under our constitution to take the life of another, except if it has been confirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction. I was surprised that for the Attorney-General, it is something he can afford to joke with, telling me that my Attorney- General didn’t know what to do.”
Also reacting in a chat with State House reporters, Adoke denied that he had showed lack of respect for the governor, saying “I will not disregard his office, he is my personal friend, I have the highest respect for him. He is a governor of this country but I will not join issues with him.
“I did not trivialise his office and I have no reason to trivialise his office. He is at liberty as a governor in this country to say whatever he wants to say but I will accord his office the highest respect and I will not join issues with him.”
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