Oshiomhole on fire over Edo Assembly crisis

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has come under fire for keeping silent in the alleged rift between himself and Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Comrade Oshiomhole was also accused of keeping quiet as the Edo Peoples Movement continued to claim to be his loyalist and insisted that Governor Obaseki must not get a second term ticket.

The continued silence of Oshiomhole, according to his former Political Adviser, Mr. Charles Idahosa, was responsible for the crisis rocking the 7th Edo State House of Assembly.

Idahosa called on Oshiomhole to immediately resign for leading the party to lost five states in the last general elections.

Governor Obaseki had told newsmen when he returned from vacation that he has no quarrel with Oshiomhole and that the rumoured rift was fake news.

Idahosa, who spoke to newsmen in Bénin City, said it was tragic-comedy for those that brought Obaseki to power are unhappy with him whereas the Edo voters are praising the Governor.

Idahosa stated that it was worrisome that Oshiomhole refused to come out to say he did not send anybody to form a group against Governor Obaseki.

He said Oshiomhole refusal to talk meant he (Oshiomhole) is supporting the opposition against Obaseki.

Idahosa said the Benins who supported Oshiomhole to power in 2007 will not allow a minority tribe to decide whether Obaseki will have a second term or not.

He said Oshiomhole poured invectives on the Igbinedions that brought him to power and Oyegun whereas Obaseki has never spoken ill of Oshiomhole.

According to him, “We are not comfortable with what is happening in Edo State today. The political division, the confusion. A situation where we ought to be very happy as a party but it is now like a tragic-comedy. A situation where we have a Governor that the people are happy with but his problem is with the leadership of the party.

“Over two years ago, I was the first person to react to Obaseki style in his relationship with the party leadership. I called leaders who are today fighting Obaseki but nobody saw what I was talking about. They turned around to present a situation that I was fighting the Governor. Because of personal interest, they have turned around to fight because they want federal appointment, some want to take over from Obaseki. These people were seen to have no value for eight years.

“I find it strange that Governor Obaseki on arrival from his vacation announced to the world that he has no problem with the APC National Chairman. I have waited since to see reaction from Oshiomhole but there is no reaction. Why has Oshiomhole refused to say he did not send any body to form a group against the government?

“Silence means consent. What has Oshiomhole not say he did not send them. We see how this problem has snowballed into the House of Assembly

“I make hold to say that Oshiomhole is responsible for the problem of APC in Edo State by his silence. Many of these boys are his boys, I am not his boy? Oshiomhole refusal to talk means he is supporting them.

“What we want is development and betterment of our people. If you support Obaseki, they will say you have collected money then if you are doing it for Oshiomhole, you are a saint.

“He brought Obaseki to us and told us he was the engine room and now what is happening? I noticed that Obaseki has never been rude to Oshiomhole. Through out Oshiomhole’s eight years, he insulted those that brought him to power. He will abuse Igbinedion the father and Igbinedion the son.

He has served his eight years. The tragedy is that in this state, the minority want to rule over the majority. Edo South constitute almost 60 percent of the voting population. Oshiomhole has forgotten that the Benis made him Governor when he contested in 2007. He lost in Edo North. Why is he disturbing Obaseki?

“No former Governor dare talk to Oshiomhole. At what point does he think he is something else. I fought all the battles with him to reduce The Godfather. When two friends quarrel, they don’t talk but talk like witches and wizard. We know what we did to stop Ikimi against Oyegun.

“The whole idea is to cause confusion in Edo. If Obaseki is pushed out and they bring another Bénin man that will now spend eight years instead of an Esanman because.

“What has Obaseki done? Oshiomhole brought the Governor, he brought the Deputy, the SSG’, he choose everything because the governor want to respect him. He controls the party and everything.

“In any civilized society, he came in as a National Chairman and we lost five states. The bucks stop at his table. He should resign. There is no APC in the South East. Let the people lead, it is all lies. One man one vote is all lies.

All the states we lost, it was APC that took APC to court. The PDP was not interested. If not for Obaseki handling Edo well, the PDP would have taken the Assembly because the same thing that happened in Zamfara would have happened here if the aspirants had gone to court.

“The truth must be told. It will not get to this stage if Oshiomhole had spoken. We must look at the fact before us and say the truth. At what point has Obaseki insulted Oshiomhole?

“Oshiomhole is no longer Governor. Let the Governor there now do his work. The public is hailing Obaseki but the people that brought him are angry. We must be very careful so that what happened is other states do not happen.

“There is sanity in Edo now. Let Oshiomhole know he has finished as Governor and leave Obaseki to run affairs of the state. He did the same eight years. We know what to do after eight years of Obaseki.

“Obaseki is one man that does not talk. There was no settlement in Abuja. How do you see a situation we are hailing party supremacy at the national level but fighting it in Edo.

“In Edo, we told Obaseki to call a few people but Obaseki said we should follow the national template. The State Working Committee presided over Anselm Ojezua zoned the position to LGs. We went back and brought names. Another meeting was held were Obaseki presided. The went back and said they disagreed. Who is funding them? If Oshiomhole had called them to order, there will be no noise. He and Obaseki should have shared the positions. Why is he not talking?”

Reacting, convener of the EPM, Barr. Henry Idahagbon described Idahosa is an as a political jobber frolicking with Obaseki to fighting Oshiomhole.

He said Idahosa was annoyed because Oshiomhole failed to give him money to travel abroad for a check up.

According to him, “Oshiomhole is too big for these people and it is sad that each time Idahosa wants to seek relevance, he sang Oshiomhole’s name so his benefactor will see he is working.

“The crisis in Edo is between Obaseki and the leaders of APC and not Oshiomhole. Many of us are well known for the efforts we made to bring on board this governor. If they like let them call Oshiomhole’s name to high heavens it will not stop our genuine agitation.

“And we will continue until we kick Obaseki out of government house. Idahosa is free to continue his sychophancy, that is his stuck in trade. We will not be surprised to see him on the other side tomorrow. He betrayed Engr.Ogienwonyi, he betrayed Dr Pius Odubu, he betrayed Gen.Airhiavbare, betrayed Oshiomhole and he will destroy Obaseki tomorrow.”

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