Godwin Obaseki: The Danger of Speaking Without Thinking

Editorial Position

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has denied his threat of violence against the Federal Government of Nigeria, contained in a video that has gone viral.

The governor’s late denial came after the All Progressives Congress (APC), through Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, the party’s Chairman in Edo State, urged the State Assembly to impeach a man that has become a recurring trouble-maker.

Following the killing and the call by the APC for the arrest of men of the Edo State Security Network and other PDP leaders fingered to have killed a police officer, Inspector Onu Akor attached to Senator Monday Okpebholo, Obaseki, in a viral video, threatened that Nigeria would burn if the police arrest his boys for the killing of Inspector Akor Onuh and if there was “…a repeat of what happened in the state on Thursday (July 18).

Late Akor, a police orderly attached to the governorship candidate of the APC, Monday Okpebholo, was shot dead on Thursday when the convoy of the court-reinstated Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu and the APC candidate were leaving the Benin airport.

Obaseki, in a viral 20-second-long abridged video, while urging leaders of the PDP said: “We just kept quiet last Thursday, if they try what happened last Thursday again in Edo, Nigeria will burn.”

While addressing the People’s Democratic Party faithfuls, on the attack at the convoy of Philip Shaibu in the company of the governorship candidate of the party, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, in which his police orderly was shot dead, Obaseki was seen in the video urging his listeners defiantly.

Amidst cheers, Obaseki said: “We just kept quiet last Thursday. If they try what they tried last Thursday again, Nigeria will burn and I will lead it.

“You don’t behave like that, we have passed that stage. If you want to go to the Court, you wait for the Court.

“We are not animals, the last time we kept quiet, I told all of you, you are the ones that have something to lose, but that does not mean that they should take us for granted.

“Those people who did it, you refuse to arrest them, rather they want to come and arrest our boys.”

The video which Midwest Herald have learnt was secretly recorded by a discontent leader (name withheld), received applauses from a section of the public, until Mr. Jarrett brought the security challenge in the video to the fore.

Reacting, APC Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, called for the impeachment of Obaseki over his threat to burn down Nigeria if those the police were looking for were arrested.

Tenebe, in a statement, said Obaseki’s latest violent threat to Nigeria and Nigerians must be quickly tamed to avoid anarchy and breakdown of law and order in the state and the country.

The statement unequivocally said that: “In the last 24 hours, Nigerians have been treated to a melodrama wherein the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, gloated like a villain in a video, threatening to burn down Nigeria if the murderers of Inspector Akor Onuh at the Benin City Airport are arrested by the police.

“While addressing the People’s Democratic Party faithfuls, on the attack at the convoy of Philip Shaibu in the company of the governorship candidate of the party, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, in which his police orderly was shot dead, Obaseki was seen in the video urging his listeners defiantly.”

Tenebe expressed concern that amidst cheers, Obaseki was seen in the video, inciting PDP faithfuls to take arm against the State.

The video which Midwest Herald learnt was secretly recorded by a discontent PDP leader, earned applause for the governor, until Mr. Jarrett brought the security risk in the video to the fore.

The APC regretted that “…in the last 24 hours, Nigerians from all walks of life have been treated to a melodrama wherein the Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki gloated like a villain in a video, threatening to burn down Nigeria, if the murderers of Inspectors Akor Onuh at the Benin City Airport are arrested by the Police.”

The party added, “…to say the least, Obaseki’s latest violent threat to Nigeria and Nigerians is a descent into madness that must quickly be tamed to avoid anarchy and breakdown of law and order in Edo State and Nigeria.

“The sign of his cognitive impairment has been a source of concern not just for Edo people, but also to the governor himself, so much so because, he readies his thugs – the dangerous Edo State Security Network (ESSN) and Public Work Volunteers (POWOV) to Kill, maim and wound anyone that holds contrary views of his divisive administration.”

To avoid anarchy, APC urged that, it was time to stop governor Obaseki before he carries out his threat.

“The avoidable tragic incident of last Thursday July 18, 2024 is a vivid example of how far the state sponsored extra judicial killings have been going on, but covered by the state government with deceptive reports of inter-cult fights in the state.

“It was time this madness stops. It is time to stop Mr. Obaseki before he carries out his threat.

“Edo people can no longer watch Governor Obaseki’s incessant violent politics that has heightened insecurity in the state.

“We are therefore calling on the State House of Assembly to immediately condemn Obaseki’s reckless and dangerous threat to burn down Nigeria

“Additionally, to forestall and end his unprecedented heinous plans, we are urging the speaker and members of Edo State House of Assembly to immediately start his impeachment process that has become overdue.”

According to the APC, a “stitch in time saves nine.” Prevention they said, is “the best cure.”

In a belated explanation for the statement made by Governor Obaseki in the viral video, his media handlers disbelievably failed to correlate the words in the now infamous video.

“The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to the negative spin that the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is fruitlessly attempting to put to the comments made by His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, at a stakeholders meeting, on Sunday, July 21, 2024, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

“For the records, we want to restate the comments of the governor on that occasion which is that, if a free and fair election is not allowed to hold sway in Edo State on September 21, 2024, it will trigger a major crisis in Nigeria.”

To put mildly, Obaseki’s denial amounts to cowardly act, less of his elevated office.

There is no where in the video in circulation that relates to his afterthought explanation. It was better not to put a defense forward in the embarrassing and reckless circumstance, than attempt to deceive Nigerians.

The only thing that can absolve Obaseki from the obligation that binds him from the consequences of any subsequent breakdown of law and order in Edo State and Nigeria, is to make public a video where he made his recounted statement – especially with the planned nationwide protest against bad governance in the country.

In conclusion, now is the time for the Nigerian Press to take its Constitutional responsibility of the ‘Watchdog’ seriously by going beyond mere amplification of press releases.

It is time for the return of investigative journalism which led the fight for Nigeria’s independence.

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