Oshiomhole dares Abati to street fight (Video)

Former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has challenged senior journalist and Arise TV anchorman, Reuben Abati, to a street brawl following what he described as a disparaging and a mischievous line of questioning during a recent programme featuring former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Oshiomhole who threw the challenge to Abati during a programme on Channels Television on Tuesday night, said he took particular exception to Abati asking Okowa who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if he (Okowa) had sought Oshiomhole’s permission before defecting.

The former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) insisted that Abati, a former spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan,
should not “hide behind the TV”, but “come out to the streets” for them to settle it “face to face.”

“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 on the programme.

He said he was miffed that Abati would link him to Okowa’s political decisions.

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“How can you ask such a question? What is my role? I am part of the legislature. Is the legislature in charge of prosecuting anyone for wrongdoing?

“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?

“Even on Labour Day, he talked about labour leaders involved in protests and picketing, but couldn’t acknowledge that I led those demonstrations. This is someone who once wrote an article titled ‘Oshiomhole the People’s President’ when I was NLC president.

“Instead of giving me credit, he claimed that once labour leaders leave the NLC, they go on to become governors.

“If you’re bitter because you failed to become deputy governor in Ogun State, is that why you’re so paranoid and constantly attacking me?

“If you want to insult me, don’t hide behind the TV, come out to the streets and let’s settle it face to face,” Oshiomhole challenged.

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