THE VANGUARD EDITORIAL FOCUSES ON JELILI ADESIYAN, OVER HIS THREAT TO BEAT UP ISIAKA ADELEKE

-MINISTER READY TO FIGHT

HAS Nigeria degenerated to the extent that a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would regret that his ministerial position was standing between him and a public brawl? He sounded as if the shackles of office distressed him in the matter.
Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan, one of the President’s newest ministers is the one in question. His opponent would be the former Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke. The minister promised a physical fight with Adeleke whenever he leaves office as a member of the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
We do not share in Adesiyan’s pain. It is a scandal that a Minister still wants to rely on physical combat to settle disputes. How would he resist the temptation to use the police to beat up his opponents until he is able to do so himself? Why would a minister threaten anyone, the type of conduct unexpected of ordinary people?
Adesiyan and Senator Adeleke had a disagreement during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osogbo last April. The meeting was part of the PDP state primaries. Adesiyan disputes Adeleke’s account of the incident, especially where Adeleke claimed that Adesiyan punched him on the chest.
The minister told the media that Adeleke and his supporters frustrated him at the event. His calmness, he said, merely postponed the fight. “If I had not been a minister, I would have beaten Adeleke to pulp on that day,” Adesiyan stated. His seriousness and the depth of the animosity the Minister felt were underlined by the platform he used in threatening Adeleke.
With all the security challenges the country faces, the M inister of Police Affairs had the time to issue a press statement over a tiff with another politician. The main cause of their disputation was control of the PDP in Osun State.
Adeleke has departed to the All Progressives Congress, APC, but that does not stop the tiff. Abduljelili has postponed the fight to another day. It is a promise.
“I will one day leave office as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any time I leave office, I will fight Adeleke. He alleged that I punched him on the chest, for God’s sake, if I had punched Adeleke, could he still be moving around?” Adesiyan asked.
Nobody should threaten another, definitely a public office holder is not supposed to threaten another person. Threat is a criminal offence. Adesiyan has not denied the statement, which an aide issued. Most newspapers used it on Monday, and online publications have re-published it.
The Minister would not utilise legal options in resolving disputes. He should resign, if he does not disclaim the statement.