The
All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state appears to be heading for
some crisis due to the recent moves by some leaders of the party in the
state that they are opposed to the second bid of governor Godwin Obaseki
Ahead the 2020 governorship election in Edo state, political
gladiators in Edo state are gearing up to the challenges ahead, as
political leaders and their followers are aligning and re-aligning with
structures that suit their interest.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state appears to be
heading for some crisis due to the recent moves by some leaders of the
party in the state that they are opposed to the second bid of governor
Godwin Obaseki. Similar crisis is also brewing in the state Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) after some members are agitating for the
emergence of the senator representing Edo South senatorial district,
Senator Mathew Urhoghide as against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who
contested against the incumbent governor of Edo state, Obaseki in 2016.
But the former chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Dan Asekhame
believes that the younger generation should be given the opportunity to
vie for the governorship just as he declared that the duo of Ize-Iyamu
and Urhoghide must give others a chance to try the governorship.
But as expected, the battle for the soul of APC has continued to
heighten in Edo state especially with the rumored rift between the
governor and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. However, the
governor who arrived the state Wednesday after his one-month vacation,
debunked the rumoured rift, describing it as fake news.
According to him, “the rumoured rift between me and my predecessor
is fake news”. But prior to the Airport reception, Saturday Vanguard
gathered there was a shouting match between the two top officials of the
administration over whether to accord the governor the reception at the
airport or not. It was gathered that while one of the top officials
argued that the governor had called to say that the planned reception
should be cancelled, his colleague disagreed, arguing that with his
position in government his colleague lacked the authority to ask him to
cancel the event.
The argument, we gathered, scuttled the earlier expected fanfare
the airport reception would have elicited which included a street walk
by the governor and his supporters at the airport. However, supporters
of the governor led by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, had commenced the
building of a political structure called the Obaseki, Shaibu Movement
across the 18 Local Government Areas. It was gathered that the structure
is being oiled in the event that Oshiomhole decides to dump the trio of
Obaseki, Shaibu and Ogie in 2020. Ironically, while the governor was
being welcomed at the Benin Airport, last Wednesday, some APC leaders
moved to puncture that structure when leaders of that group across the
18 Local Government Areas of the state gathered at the Buhari Campaign
office located at the Government Reservation Area (GRA) Benin City and
vowed to revive the APC after they alleged that the party was losing
momentum in the state. The meeting was convened by the former Attorney
General of the state, Barr.Henry Idahagbon and former member House of
Representatives, Samson Osagie. The meeting was chaired by veteran
politician, Engr. Festus Evbuonwa. Some of those who attended were
former member House of Reps, Patrick Ikhariale, Ken Ihensekhen, former
youth leader of the APC and now President of RTEAN, Comrade Osakpanwa
Eriyo, Tony Kabaka, former Commissioners in the state, Gideon Obakhan
and Chris Ebare, Jackson Eribo, Mathew Ehigie, Macdonal Obasuke, S.S.
Mayaki and many others.
The group while commending the leadership of the National Chairman
of the state, Comrade Oshiomhole both in the state and the Nation, they
attributed the woeful outing of the party in the just concluded
Presidential and National Assembly elections to the dwindling fortunes
of the party following weak leadership. Engr. Evbuowan who addressed the
meeting, urged members to remain calm and focused and expressed
optimism that the leader of the party, Comrade Oshiomhole will work
together with the party to produce a governorship candidate capable of
winning the 2020 governorship election. They observed that the party
would have been kicked out of the governorship election if election held
in the state now. He said this was due to the anger of majority of the
leaders of the party in the state.
Tony Kabaka Adun, who also spoke at the meeting, lamented that “we
have been treated like slaves after ensuring victory for the governor in
2016. Some of us are still in this party today because of Oshiomhole
who used all of us to deliver Obaseki. But in 2020, we must have a
change and if Oshiomhole refuses to give us another person and insists
on Obaseki, for the first time, we will go against him. After laboring,
we saw a situation whereby people from Lagos and Delta state are now
enjoying the fruit of our labour. If they say they are not sharing
money, we have no problem with that, but we have not even seen the
development they promised to give us with the money. All we are still
seeing today are Oshiomhole’s legacies which they are trying to destroy
including the five star Benin Central hospital. But we will not allow
them. We will fight anybody who tries to destroy Oshiomhole’s legacies
in this state because he is our father, we will not fail to repay their
ingratitude”.
The meeting however urged the party leaders to go to their
respective wards and Local Governments to attract more people into the
party despite the frustrations from some quarters. Reacting to the claim
by the governor’s handlers that Obaseki is currently the most popular
politician in the state, a chieftain of the APC in the state, Mahmud
Mohammed described it as not true. “I have read so many articles
both on social media and the print obviously emanating from Osadebey
Avenue, where they tried in vain to argue why Obaseki deserved a second
term.
And unfortunately, they tend to blame other people rather than
the Governor over the failure of the party in the National
Assembly/Presidential election. The truth is that the governor and his
cabal from Lagos and Delta State have weakened the APC in the state. The
only people singing his praises are those benefiting from him. I read
where they described the Governor as the most popular politician in Edo
state which is not true. The question is, what made him popular now? Is
it for not delivering Edo South senate which Patrick Obahiagbon
contested under the APC, which also is the senatorial district of the
governor? Is he popular because he could not deliver President Buhari in
his ward, Local Government and senatorial district? Is he popular for
marginalizing the party members? I use this opportunity to urge the
state Executive of the APC to set up a committee to try those who were
involved in anti-party activities during the election. The governor
could be invited so we could hear from him why APC lost the election in
Edo South.”
Oshiomhole had continued to keep mute about the political situation
in his Edo APC, even as his loyalists are said to be campaigning for a
change in the state. Apparently to douse tension, Obaseki’s camp has
declared no rift between their principal and Oshiomhole. But the two men
have not been together for months now.
Besides, Oshiomhole was conspicuously absent when the state
government celebrated the victory of the party in the House of Assembly
Elections in the state where the APC won the entire 24 seats in the
House. However, the next few months will be interesting in the state.
The public will be eager to see how this new group, tagged Edo APC
Revival Group intends to confront the Obaseki, Shaibu Movement in this
brewing political contest. Of interest will also be Oshiomkhole’s
position on 2020 election. The expected battle between Pastor Ize-Iyamu
and Senator Urhoghide in the PDP will be another interesting contest.
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