Edo petitions Jonathan over Oshiomhole-Nyiam face-off

NOVEMBER 2, 2013 

Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole

Edo State Government has said it will petition President Goodluck Jonathan over the outburst of a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on National Dialogue, Col. Tony Nyiam, who heckled Governor Adams Oshiomhole, during a public hearing by the council in Edo, on Monday.

Special Adviser (Media) to Oshimhole, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, who spoke with one of our correspondents in a telephone interview, on Thursday, said “We will petition him (Col. Nyiam) to the President.”

He, however, did not disclose when the petition would be sent to the Presidency.

Shouting down Oshiomhole, Nyiam was restrained by participants from leaving his seat and moving towards the governor, who was presenting a paper at the public hearing held by the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led council in Benin.

Public outcry greeted the outburst of Nyiam even as controversy has trailed his purported resignation from the council.

It is unclear whether or not Nyiam has resigned from the council as Nyiam had queried the position of council, which hinted that he has resigned.

But a member, Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, queried the call for Nyiam’s resignation, asking “why must Nyiam resign; because he disagreed with Oshiomhole? The council should listen to everybody.”

Another member, PDP BoT, Alhaji Shauib Oyedokun and Babatope said the Yoruba nation should clamour for the unity of the country at the hearing.

Rivers State Government has described the national dialogue as a waste of time, stressing that “nothing good would come out of the planned exercise.”

Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday.

National General Secretary, Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr. Ayo Afolabi, said President Jonathan cannot be trusted over the national conference, lamenting that the council has no agenda.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Afolabi said: “ARG will go to the conference but we don’t trust Jonathan’s ability the handle the report. He had repeatedly shunned entreaties to convene a national conference.

“Why he is doing it at this point in time is suspect. He (Jonathan) is drowning politically. This is why he has suddenly remembered the conference.”

Enugu Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chuks Ugwoye, on Thursday, said the state government has held a public hearing in preparation of the oncoming national conference.