Oshiomhole, Wike Trade Words At Book Launch

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the governor of River State, Nyesom Wike, yesterday traded words over the leadership style in the country.

The governor and the APC chairman argued bitterly during the official launch of the book titled, “The Big Interviews,” authored by the former Managing Director of the Sun newspaper, Mr Eric Osagie.

NAIJA LIVE TV gathered that things came to a head when Oshiomhole, in his message, charged Nigerian journalists to be more courageous when taking on big names, while also charging leaders not to preach what they don’t do.

Apparently responding to Oshiomhole’s charge, Wike who particularly spoke on leadership by example challenged the APC chairman to practice what he preaches too, saying that leaders are not practicing what they are preaching in the country.

“So it is very important to know where we are and we cannot be decided by what we have seen, all of us know, Nigeria is witnessing what we preach and we are not practicing.”

While making a donation of N20 million to the author of the book, Wike also cautioned Oshiomhole for misleading Nigerians into thinking that he still wears the khaki of old when he was a labour leader, adding that in the past administration nobody was arrested nor sent to jail.

Eminent Nigerians at the book lunch included the publisher of LEADERSHIP Newspapers group, Sam Nda-Isaiah; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus.

While reacting to Oshiomhole’s statement, Secondus said : “Let me begin from where the APC national chairman stopped, he began, in his trademark voice.

“Where are some of you who did Occupy Nigeria? As a country are we experiencing any change from the first to fourth republic? From when the then opposition and now the ruling party has come, have you seen any improvement? The answer is with you but most importantly, are we free now to speak?

“Even in the military era, journalists were vibrant but you can see bills going to National Assembly, bills on anti-freedom of speech. We need more of these interviews and we need a vibrant journalism in our country.”

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