Oshiomole's aide did not beat up our Reverend Father - Bishop Dunia

Following rumours in Edo State that a security aide in the convoy of Governor Adams Oshiomhole beat up a Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Peter Udoh at Ujogba in Edo Central senatorial district of the state, the Catholic Diocese of Auchi has now debunked the report and cleared the governor of any wrong-doing. The Local Ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop Gabriel Dunia, said in a telephone interview with journalists that “I am not aware of any priest beaten by the governor’s aide, there is no report like that

The report was also dismissed by another Catholic cleric, Reverend Father Andrew Obinyan, of St Albert’s Catholic Church, University of Benin, who stated that: “I heard in the news a report that a Catholic priest in Esan Central of Edo State was grievously oppressed and beaten to a state of coma by aides of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. If I am sure of anything about Governor Oshiomhole, it is his reverential fear and respect for all ordained ministers especially bishops, priests, and religious of the Catholic Church to which he proudly belongs."

"Governor Oshiomhole has maintained a very cordial relationship with Catholic Bishops, Priests and Laity beyond Benin City. As a priest, I have an obligation, in conscience, based on privileged information, to let the public know that neither the Governor nor any of his aides was involved in such incident as reported. It was a tale concocted to drag the Holy Catholic Church into the fray of politics.”

Meanwhile, the state government has reacted to the claims with displeasure stating clearly that “While we state that the governor was never at Ujogba as reported by the TV station, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is known to be proudly Catholic and has boasted about his faith at many fora. The State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Pius Odubu is also a practicing Catholic as well as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Uyi Igbe.

“We use this medium to call on ITV to retract the said offensive report and tender an unreserved apology to the governor, through the same station for dragging the Governor’s name into a matter totally unconnected to him”.

The Edo State government has also withdrawn the accreditation of the correspondent and cameraman of ITV attached to the Government House, Benin-City after what it described as a "series of fabricated and adversarial reportage of issues in the state which has continued to misinform, misrepresent and confuse the people of the state."