Our reporter
The Niger Delta Youth Brigade, an Ijaw advocacy group, has voiced its support for Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the former governor of Edo State, in his defense of the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate.
The group expressed its approval of Oshiomhole’s response to remarks made by Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, the wife of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, which they considered slanderous.
The controversy arose after Mrs. Obaseki, during a campaign event for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), claimed that among the three major candidates in the upcoming governorship election, only the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, had a wife. She implied that the APC candidate, Senator Okpebholo, was unfit for the governorship due to his lack of a spouse.
In a statement over the weekend, the Niger Delta Youth Brigade’s spokesman, Binabi Zoukouma, argued that Oshiomhole’s reaction was a justified response to what he described as “sarcastic and unfounded” remarks about the APC candidate’s personal life.
Zoukouma criticized the PDP’s alleged tendency to attack the families of their opponents, citing previous instances where similar tactics were employed against Oshiomhole during the 2020 elections.
“It has become customary for the PDP to attack the family of the APC candidate, which has been condemned by the general public,” Zoukouma stated.
He added that Oshiomhole’s comments about the Edo State governor and his wife not having children were a direct response to the personal attacks made by Mrs. Obaseki.
The Niger Delta Youth Brigade asserted that Oshiomhole was merely stating the obvious and was within his rights to defend his party’s candidate. They called on the public to cease condemning Oshiomhole and affirmed their full support for his actions.
The group concluded by stressing that if the PDP continues to bring personal and family issues into the political arena, they should be prepared for any response that may follow.
