National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has urged his supporters and members of the party in Edo state to remain calm, ahead of next year’s gubernatorial election in the state.
Oshiomhole gave the advice, yesterday, while addressing some youths who converged at his Benin City residence in solidarity, after security forces foiled an attack on his residence by suspected hoodlums.
Armed thugs believed to be in the other camp, were said to have stormed the residence located at Okorotun Street, in GRA, chanting war songs and blocking the main entrance in their numbers.
The former Governor of Edo State was said to be away on a function at Protea Hotel in Benin when the hoodlums stormed his residence in a Nissan Vanette buses.
Reacting, Oshiomhole urged his supporters to embrace peace, alleging that the motive of “those beating the drum of war” is to plunge Edo State into avoidable crisis.
“In a moment like this, it is not madness for madness because many of you I see here…in 2007, you were already strong”, he said. “During my second tenure in 2012, you were already strong; even in 2016, some of you were already deployed as party agent.
“These people want to create what has not happened for a very long time. They want war and want to cause crisis. They are boasting that they want to crush and crush people. They should go and buy crushing machine.
“No man born of a woman can change what God has said. And if God says No, who can say yes? My own is don’t allow them drag you out of the bathroom like the Igbo man says and be running after them like the two naked mad men because we are not mad.
“If it comes to the ruffle-ruffle that he wants, they don’t have the number. You know that when you start to tell lies, you will have to lie many times to sustain one lie.
“We will not condescend to their level.
“But, let me say this. It is clear, Nigeria is a free country. There is freedom of association. There is freedom of worship. There is freedom of religion. There is freedom of expression. So, nobody in Nigeria can harass you. Just be the good guys that you are.
“My weapon which is the truth, is more powerful than the weapon of the armed forces in the world”, the APC national chairman added.
“Have I threatened any of you? I have never sent any of you to prison. How many of you have I ever said to…‘if you do not follow me, I will send you to prison?’.
“The tradition of Edo people is that if you do something which makes your father unhappy, he will call you home and say; ‘my son, don’t do this again’.
“As a father or mother, maturity is the ability to change the habit that you are not happy with instead of training your children in a way. There is no wisdom to do as if you are an Angel. Who has never sinned? Those who want to cast the first stone, may God bless them”, he said.
“If other people are beating the drum of war, we will share the drum of peace. You remember the story of Solomon in the Bible for those who are Christians, even those who are not Christians.
“Two women were arguing who is the actual owner of a Child. Solomon called the two mothers who were laying claims to the Child. There was no way to proof [the actual owner] because at that time, there was no DNA. So, King Solomon said lets divide the child into two parts so that everybody has something.
“The one that is not the owner of the child said “yes”, but the actual mother of the child said “no, leave the child for my second.” Then Solomon said “you are the actual mother.”
