Politics
Adams Oshiomhole: A Political Career Built on Chronic Lies and Deception
Adams Oshiomhole is a figure who has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s political landscape.
However, beneath the surface of his charisma and political influence lies a troubling characteristic: his capacity for deception and lies.
The former Governor of Edo State and one-time National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a penchant for unfiltered statements. Some of his statements often bordered on outright dishonesty, misleading accusations and blatant lies.
Nigerians, especially people from Edo State, already know his stock-in-trade. Therefore, they no longer place value or premium on words that come out of his mouth. Severally, he has proven that when he opens his mouth to speak, truth becomes a casualty.
All these have served to erode his once impeccable credibility as a vibrant National Labour leader.
Over time, Adams Oshiomhole has earned a reputation for manipulating facts to suit his agenda, leading to numerous public figures calling him out for his dishonesty.
While his influence in Nigerian politics remains significant, Oshiomhole’s tendency to manipulate the truth continues to be a defining aspect of his controversial career.
Not a few of his former allies, political associates and opponents has given testimonies of his capacity to lies effortlessly.
Here, we highlight some notable instance where the former NLC President Adams Oshiomhole made public statements and accusations that were disputed or later proven inaccurate or outright lies.
Oba of Benin Endorsement for his re-election
In 2012, during his re-election campaign as governor, Oshiomhole erected billboards across the state capital. The billboard featured images of the revered Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa.
The message on the billboard was that he had been endorsed by the Benin monarch for his second-term re-election bid.
However, Oshiomhole failed to recognize that the Benin palace remains non-partisan, instead he choose to drag the Oba into his re-election efforts.
On May 4, 2012, in a press release, the Benin Traditional Council condemned Oshiomhole’s campaign, clarifying that the palace had not endorsed him for re-election.
Accusation Against the Goodluck Jonathan Government
On July 27, 2015, Adams Oshiomhole was part of a delegation that escorted the then newly-elected Mohammadu Buhari government on an official visit to the White House.
He returned to Nigerian and claimed that the State Department of the United States Government told him that a certain minister who served under President Jonathan stole $6 billion from the treasury.
The US Embassy in Nigeria quickly denied these claims. They stated that the US never made assertions about looting under Jonathan’s government. And that the story was a figment of Oshiomhole’s creative imagination.
In the statement, the US Government said: “The U.S. should not be drawn into such irresponsible comment as alleged by Mr. Oshiomhole. America has a transparent administration that doesn’t hide when people make a statement. If Mr. Oshiomhole claims a U.S. official told him that a Nigerian minister stole $6 billion, he should name the official instead of hiding behind an anonymous source.”
Accusations Against Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
During the early period of the Buhari administration, Oshiomhole frequently accused Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance under Jonathan’s administration, of financial mismanagement.
It became a pattern of behaviour that each time Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is internationally recognized, Governor Oshiomhole embarks on a cynical and devious campaign of lies to pull her down locally.
In one instance, he alleged that $30 billion was unaccounted for under her watch. He later changed the figure to $20 billion, $2.1 billion, and then $1 billion.
Okonjo-Iweala refuted these accusations, providing detailed explanations and audited records to counter the claims.
The former minister said the governor embarked on a “campaign of lies” against her because she thwarted his dubious and highly suspicious N15 billion foreign loan request.
In a statement, she said: “As recently confirmed by the Debt Management Office, professional analysis showed that Oshiomhole’s loan request which was based on using low interest World Bank loan to offset high interest commercial loans would have left Edo state with a heavy debt burden and the state would have found it very difficult to pay back,”.
Ibikunle Amosun
Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun accused Adams Oshiomhole of being a liar during the 2019 general elections.
The situation arose from a dispute over the APC gubernatorial primary in Ogun State. Amosun had backed a candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, but Oshiomhole, as the APC National Chairman, supported Dapo Abiodun as the party’s official candidate.
Amosun accused Oshiomhole of manipulating the primary process and falsely claiming that the primaries were fair and credible. He publicly called Oshiomhole a liar, accusing him of dishonesty and deliberately undermining his candidate to impose Abiodun.
Mohammed Dan Mallam, former Commissioner of Police in the state
On October, 2019, the then Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Dan Mallam, publicly debunked the story by Oshiomhole that his Benin residence was attacked.
The CP categorically said the claim was false and that the Police, which ought to be in the know, could confirm that there was no attack on Oshiomhole’s house.
Senator Marafa: “Oshiomhole is a Liar”
Senator Kabiru Marafa, a prominent politician from Zamfara State, was one of Oshiomhole’s harshest critics.
During the APC internal crisis in 2019, Marafa accused Oshiomhole of lying about the party’s internal situation in Zamfara. He claimed that Oshiomhole deliberately lying to mislead party members about the legitimacy of certain candidates, resulting in the APC’s loss of key elections in the state.
Marafa called Oshiomhole out for being dishonest, stating that his lies had cost the party dearly.
Governor Seriake Dickson: “He Thrives on Falsehood”
Former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, has also described Oshiomhole as a pathological liar.
During the 2019 Bayelsa governorship election, Oshiomhole made several allegations against Dickson, accusing him of orchestrating violence and mismanagement.
Dickson responded by calling Oshiomhole a “liar who thrives on falsehood,” adding that the former APC chairman was more interested in stirring up controversy than dealing with facts.
Timipreye Sylva: “A Habitual Liar”
Timipreye Sylva, another key political figure from Bayelsa, has similarly called out Oshiomhole for lying.
Sylva, who served as the Minister of State for Petroleum, accused Oshiomhole of spreading falsehoods about his political dealings.
Sylva described Oshiomhole as a “habitual liar” who consistently bent the truth to fit his narrative, particularly in his bid to control political outcomes in Bayelsa State.
The Asue Ighodalo Falsehood
In a bid to discredit the 2024 governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, Oshiomhole publicly alleged that Ighodalo, has no connection with his root at his hometown, Ewohimi, Esan South East LGA, Edo State.
He went further to claim that Ighodalo did not find it worthy to own a house in his hometown.
This statement was made during a political campaign, where Oshiomhole attempted to undermine Ighodalo’s credibility to his people.
However, this assertion was quickly debunked. It was later proven that Ighodalo indeed owned a house in his hometown. Even more shocking was the revelation that Oshiomhole had once stayed in the house.
This revelation cast significant doubt on Oshiomhole’s motivations and integrity. The claim was seen as an unnecessary, petty lie aimed at discrediting a rival. It also showcased Oshiomhole’s tendency to manipulate the truth when it suits his purposes.
Madam Blacky Ogiamen: He is a liar.
In August 2024, Adams Oshiomhole at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in the market, made a public claim that his administration had provided ₦200 million to Madam Blacky Ogiamen, the President of the Edo State Market Women Association.
According to him, the money was for the benefit of market women in Edo State. He also implied that the money had been mismanaged or misused.
Oshiomhole’s statement came off as an attempt to create a narrative of dishonesty around Ogiamen, particularly among her followers and the broader market community.
In response, Madam Blacky Ogiamen categorically denied Oshiomhole’s accusations, referring to him as a liar.
In a statement issued at the Ekiosa Market in Benin, Madam Blacky Ogiamen refuted claims that she received ₦200,000,000 from Oshiomhole.
She argued that Oshiomhole’s claims were part of a smear campaign aimed at discrediting her leadership ahead of the election. Instead, Madam Blacky admitted that the former governor contributed ₦100,000,000 to the association for its end-of-year celebration. She clarified that the amount was not intended for her personal benefit.
To confirm her innocence and restore her integrity, Ogiamen took several actions. She organized press conferences where she challenged Oshiomhole to provide evidence of the alleged ₦200 million fund.
Oshiomhole and Court Ruling Against Asue Ighodalo
Adams Oshiomhole is a dogged politician that will spare nothing to achieve his political aim, even if it means lying on live TV.
On October 2024, during a live TV interview, Oshiomhole made failed attempts to confuse the people of Edo State with claims of a non-existent Court Judgement.
According to him, there was a court judgement nullifying the candidacy of the PDP candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election.
Nigerians watched as Adams Oshiomhole struggled to present a false narrative laden with fabrications and barefaced lies on national TV.
However, upon investigation, it became evident that no such court judgment existed. The legal records showed no ruling or case against Asue Ighodalo. The allegation was proven to be yet another fabrication by Oshiomhole.
False Claims against the Oba of Benin
After the declaration of Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the 2024 Governorship election, a delegation of the APC were at the the palace of the Oba of Benin, for a celebratory visit. The delegation was led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
At the palace, Adams Oshiomhole made a brazen false claim against Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, the revered Oba of Benin,
Oshiomhole implied that in 2016, the Oba advised him against picking Obaseki as his successor but he declined. However, Oba Ewuare II swiftly cut short Oshiomhole speech to refute these claims.
The Oba made it clear that he neither endorsed nor kicked against Oshiomhole’s choice of Godwin Obaseki as governor.
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According to Oba Ewuare II: “I have to correct your statement when you said against my advise. I never said anything against Obaseki when you brought him (to me).
“You talked about Odubu (Deputy Governor). You shredded Odubu to pieces. And I was shocked. When you said this was the reason why you wanted to support Obaseki, I didn’t say a word. I only said “Obaseki?. That was my only utterance. After that, I kept quiet. So, why are you now saying what didn’t happen?”, the visibly angered Oba responded.
It is important to note that this would be the second time that Adams Oshiomhole would lie against the Benin Palace. Essentially, Oshiomhole would be on record as the first man to lie against two different generations of Benin monarch.
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