ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has claimed that Edo was safer under his administration than Anambra State was during the tenure of former governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Oshiomhole also criticised opposition leaders, including Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing them of attacking President Bola Tinubu’s handling of insecurity without offering practical solutions to the country’s security challenges.
Speaking during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain argued that insecurity in Nigeria predates the current administration, tracing its roots to the period when Atiku served as vice president.
He also questioned Obi’s security credentials, alleging that the former Anambra governor failed to effectively address the activities of the Bakassi Boys vigilante group, which he said contributed to a rise in kidnapping and lawlessness in the state.
“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 asked.
The former labour leader recalled seeing footage of former Governor Willie Obiano deploying bulldozers to demolish properties allegedly linked to kidnappers and members of the Bakassi Boys, whom he claimed had become uncontrollable during Obi’s administration.
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Oshiomhole said, “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.
“I was a governor then; my state was safer than Anambra.”
The senator further challenged Obi to move beyond criticism and provide concrete solutions to Nigeria’s problems, dismissing what he described as repetitive slogans and vague prescriptions.
“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 queried.
Oshiomhole also expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, predicting that Obi would neither match nor surpass the level of support he received during the 2023 presidential contest.
Oshiomhole served as governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016, while Obi governed Anambra State between 2006 and 2014.