Oshiomhole accuses Adoke of trivialising Oyerinde’s murder prosecution

By BEN AGANDE

ABUJA — Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday accused the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, of trivialising the death of his Principal Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde, by failing to prosecute those alleged to have murdered him.

But the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, denied trivialising the prosecution of those alleged to have killed Oyerinde, saying Oshiomhole was at liberty to say anything.

Speaking with state House correspondents at the end of the National Council of State meeting where the governor and Attorney General had an open altercation over the matter, Governor Oshiomhole said government officials had a responsibility to ensure that they took their duties very seriously, especially when it involved life and death.

But for the intervention of the governors of Delta and Gombe states; Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ibrahim Dankwambo  and an aide to the President, the argument between the duo would have resorted to fisticuffs.

Although the altercation happened in full glare of journalists at the council chambers where the Council of State meeting took place, it was not clear what the Attorney General said to the governor that enraged him.

Speaking with state House correspondents after the Council of State meeting, Governor Oshiomhole said the Attorney General messed up the prosecution of those accused of killing his Principal Private Secretary.

‘Edo ought to try this case’

According to Oshiomhole, rather than advise the Deputy Inspector General of Police who referred the case for prosecution to the AGF that the case ought to have been tried by Edo State, the Attorney General chose to play the ostrich.

He said:  “I don’t think it is an issue I want to talk about. The issue is that he (Attorney General Adoke) was saying my Attorney General should have known what to do, that he (Adoke)  has nothing to do with the matter and I simply asked him who referred the matter to him?

“Was it my Attorney General? The matter was referred to him by the deputy Inspector General of police and I asked him who should know better?

But speaking with state House Correspondents, the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, said he did not trivialise the prosecution of the accused.

According to him, “Edo State governor can say what he wants to say but I will not join issues with him; he is the governor and I respect his office.”