Maryann Shaibu, the wife of Edo State’s deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, has accused former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, of threatening her life.
In a petition sent to the state’s Commissioner of Police, Shaibu’s lawyer, Idemudia Ilueminosen, said Oshiomhole threatened to deal with her during a campaign event for the upcoming Edo governorship election.
The petition, dated September 8, alleged that the former governor also said thugs have been commissioned to monitor her movements.
Ilueminosen said the threat has diminished her capacity to campaign for her husband’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for fear of being harmed.
The lawyer called for the threat to be investigated and Oshiomhole brought to book in order to avert any unpleasant results ahead of the September 19 election.
“This is moreso that the lives of our client and her family (by this threat) are at stake and the situation may degenerate into a full blown crisis if nothing urgent is done.
“We count on your good self to expedite actions on this grave concern to nip in the bud whatever may be the nefarious plan and intent of Oshiomhole and his cohorts as life has no duplicate,” the petition read.
In response to the petition, Oshiomhole’s media aide, Victor Oshioke, said he’s too busy marketing his party’s candidate to be distracted by Mrs Shuaibu’s antics.
“This petition is nothing but a futile attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians from the trending video of Maryann Shaibu threatening to flog women old enough to be her mother if they dare exercise their fundamental human rights to attend any event other than the one she organises,” he said.
The September 19 election is expected to be keenly-contested between incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC.
Both parties have accused the other of fueling violence to gain an upper hand in the election.
Two police officers were killed when a trailer crashed a convoy transporting Oshiomhole to a campaign event. The APC said it was an assassination attempt to cripple its campaign.
Both parties have been cautioned by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to tread more carefully and ensure that no blood is shed because of the election.