….accused Oshiomhole of deliberately disobeying the party’s constitution and order of courts by substituting duly elected state chairman of the party
Benin City (Precise Post) – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr. Charles Idahosa, yesterday said that the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, would not leave the ruling party for another political platform in order to secure the ticket for his re-election.
He said despite the feud between him and the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, the governor had done so much to deserve his second term and therefore cannot be pushed away by Oshiomhole and his foot soldiers.
Speaking during a press conference in Benin, Idahosa noted with deep concern that the crisis within the APC in the state was getting worse by the day, adding that; “from the way we are seeing issues under Adams Oshiomhole, the APC is dying gradually.”
He recalled efforts by concerned individuals and stakeholders to make peace between Oshiomhole and Governor Obaseki, including steps taken by Bishop of Metropolitan See of Benin Archdiocese, Bishop Augustine Obiora Akubueze and other eminent personalities, saying that it was evident that the APC national chairman does not want to toe the path of peace in resolving the crisis.
“There is nothing like that, it is a black lie that the governor is leaving the party for another. Governor Obaseki is not leaving the APC for anybody. He is getting the party ticket and he must do his second term,” Idahosa declared.
According to him, Oshiomhiole had blamed the media and some misguided individuals for peddling rumours about the misunderstanding between both major political actors, yet he (Oshiomhole) was the one deliberately disobeying the party’s constitution and order of courts by his substituting duly elected state chairman of the party, Anselm Ojezue with David Imuse, a development he said was an embarrassment to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also accused Oshiomhole of allegedly being a judge in his own matter by constituting committees (National Working Committee of the party), the Ganduje committee, among others, to reconcile him with Governor Obaseki, stressing further that ‘enough is enough’ with all this endorsements by some persons and groups of one particular person or the other in the interest of peace and development of the state.
Idahosa said: “It is time for him to step aside and let peace reign in the state. The fight we have in Edo State is the fight between the National Chairman of the party and Governor Obaseki. How is he going to sit over his matter; he cannot set up a committee to sit over a case you are involved in.”
But spokesperson for Oshiomhole’s Group of 14 members-elect and two lawmakers, Mr. Washington Osifo, in a reaction yesterday said: “It is laughable for Idahosa to be calling for the resignation of our national chairman.”
Osifo, who was a former Commissioner for Education in the state, noted that; “He (Idahosa) does not play politics based on ideology or principles, he plays his politics on who is bringing the money. He is saying this because of what he is making from the current system. Oshiomhole has come to reposition our great party.”
Idahosa, however, faulted the former governor’s move to choose the principal officers of the state House of Assembly even when two already inaugurated lawmakers, making 14 of them and eight members of the state executive council had relocated to Abuja in their political abracadabra against the administration of Governor Obaseki.
“Oshiomhole’s four speakers in his eight years in office as governor removed the roof of the Edo State House of Assembly; we don’t want bloodshed in Edo State. Let Oshiomhole resign and we will do a fresh election. You told us you want to fight godfatherism and we supported you, only for you to turn and become a godfather.”
He cautioned the former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to throw in the trowel and resign from his position as the national chairman of the ruling APC, having earlier been suspended by ward leaders of the party, those of Etsako West council area and that of the state chapter of the party, respectively, which he said was a move from the bottom to the top in the hierarchy of the fold.
