Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has challenged Arise TV anchor and former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, to a fight over what he called disrespectful and malicious comments made on live television.

Oshiomhole issued the challenge on Tuesday during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, responding to a recent episode of Arise TV’s The Morning Show, where Abati questioned former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

“I was particularly shocked that a senior editor could ask the immediate past governor of Delta state, Okowa, mischievously, I must say, with all due respect, ‘did you get permission from Oshiomhole that your sins will now be forgiven before you decided to decamp to APC?’” Oshiomhole said.

Oshiomhole, a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress and ex-governor of Edo State, expressed disbelief at Abati's suggestion that he held such influence within the APC, calling it absurd.

“How can you ask that? What is my status? I am in the legislature. Is the legislature responsible for the prosecution of anyone wrong in any way?” Oshiomhole questioned.

Although Oshiomhole did not mention Abati directly during the interview, his references to the journalist’s past and political career clearly pointed to him.

He also took a jab at Abati’s history, bringing up his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after serving as President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesperson.

“The man who made that statement was at a time invited by the EFCC after he was Jonathan’s spokesman, shamelessly. Thereafter, EFCC arrested him. Was I the one who granted him bail to leave PDP to go where he is?” he stated.

Oshiomhole also accused Abati of intentionally ignoring his contributions to labor movements, particularly on May Day.

“Even on Labour Day, he was saying some labour leaders who had been involved in picketing and fought for workers; he could not even credit me with the fact that I led the protest. This is a guy who wrote ‘Oshiomhole the people’s president’ when I was president of the NLC.

“Rather than crediting me with that, he said when they leave NLC, they now go and become governors,” Oshiomhole said.

The senator ended with a direct challenge by mentioning Abati’s gubernitorial run in 2019:

“If you are angry because you wanted to be a deputy governor and you lost an election in Ogun state, is that the reason you are paranoid, that every opportunity you want to abuse me? If you want to abuse me, don’t hide behind the TV; let’s meet in the street and fight it out,” he said.

Abati was the running mate to Buruji Kashamu in the 2019 Ogun State gubernatorial election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party. They were defeated by Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress.