A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has sided with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, against his successor in Edo State as Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, accusing the Governor of anti-party activities.
The faction says Obaseki has been holding Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) meetings in the Government House in Benin.
Rather than abate, the war of words between the two men continues to escalate following the disclosure by Obaseki that Oshiomhole actually compiled the list of commissioner for the State.
This is addition to selecting his successor, the deputy governor and Secretary to the State Government.
Oshiomhole in an interview had said he begged to have only one commissioner appointed.
Obaseki, described Oshiomhole as dishonest and inimical to the future of APC, suggesting that he be booted out by the National Executive Committee of the party.
Obaseki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said: “We are once again forced to call the attention of members of the public to Comrade Oshiomhole’s ability to compulsively falsify the facts.
“The ease with which he lies, especially on issues that are public knowledge, underscores the content of his character and portends an existential threat to the survival of the APC and the impeccable integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is forced to continuously engage with Comrade Oshiomhole being the national chairman of his party.
“If indeed Oshiomhole appointed only Mika Amanokha to Governor Obaseki’s cabinet, why then did the former governor scream to the high heavens and embark on vitriolic media attacks against Obaseki when the governor reshuffled his cabinet, taking out some persons who were sabotaging the administration at the behest of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
“In fact, Comrade Oshiomhole compiled the list of those to be appointed commissioners in Edo in his sitting room in 2016, asides picking the governor, his deputy and the SSG.
“Comrade Oshiomhole, indeed, has not kept his dishonesty and inability to abide by due process and the provisions of the constitution to his destructive activities in Edo’s political space, he has exported it to the Federal level of government, placing the presidency under undue pressure leading them to take decisions that run afoul of due process and the constitution.
“A case in point is the recent incident when the President was away from the country and Comrade Oshiomhole got top officials at the presidency to approve the composition of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), made up of his cronies apparently in violation of the existing rules.
“Uppermost on Comrade Oshiomhole’s mind was his desire to annex the NDDC and make it a slush fund from where he expected to finance the political tension in Edo State, towards possibly seizing control of the Edo State Government from Governor Obaseki.
“He did not care whether the rules were followed nor the integrity of the people being appointed. All he wanted was to achieve his aim and keep Edo State under his stranglehold as the new godfather.
“Fortunately for Nigerians and Niger Delta people, our calm and methodical President, Muhammadu Buhari, has since seen through Comrade Oshiomhole’s mischief and ordered the forensic audit of the NDDC and the re-composition of the illegal board which Comrade Oshiomhole was trying to emplace.”
Meanwhile, in a statement in Edo State, factional APC Chairman, Col. David Imuse, and the Secretary, Engr.Lawrence Okah, the party said it was in support of the newly-constituted National Reconciliation Committee headed by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, a committee the state government rejected.
The statement by the faction reads: “The attention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has been drawn to newspaper advertorials and reports by the Edo State Government, wherein Governor Godwin Obaseki rejected the newly-constituted National Reconciliation Committee set up to address the problems bedeviling our party in some states.
“While we welcome the setting up of the Committee, which was one of the decisions at the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our great party, the APC, which had our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari, in attendance, the APC in Edo State dissociates itself from the decision of the governor and his cohorts who no longer see anything good in our great party.
“For quite sometime now, we have cried to the world that Governor Obaseki is the problem the APC has in Edo State but some persons whom he unfortunately brainwashed listen to his lies. However, Edo people, who are the voters, know the truth about Obaseki.
“It will interest President, Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of our party that this is the fourth time Governor Obaseki would reject trouble-shooting Committees on Edo State and decisions made by respected institutions in this country.
“First was the decision of the House of Representatives, calling on the governor to issue a fresh proclamation letter after he criminally inaugurated 9 out of 24 members of the State House of Assembly at 9:30pm.
“Governor Obaseki bluntly rejected that decision and accused the respected members of the Green Chambers of carrying out the bidding of Comrade Adam’s Oshiomhole.
“The second was the senate resolution, which also advised the governor to do the right things as earlier directed by the House of Representatives. Again, Governor Obaseki flouted the resolution and went further to get an injunction restraining the NASS from interfering in the crisis situation in the state House of Assembly. Rather than embrace peace like the Governor of Bauchi did, which led to the peace being enjoyed today in the Bauchi state Assembly, Governor Obaseki ‘s ego did not allow him do that. Today, he and his cohorts have dragged the NWC, NASS and the State APC through the courts.
“He had further gone ahead to declare vacant the seats of our 14 House of Assembly members who went to court in total disregard to the pendency of these issues before the court.
“Thirdly, the NWC decided to set up a peace committee headed by the governor of Kano State. Again, Governor Obaseki and his clique went to court to restrain that committee from carrying out its functions. That matter is still before the law court.
“Just a few days ago, our teeming supporters across the nation celebrated the setting up of a National Reconciliation Committee, which was the idea of our party leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, at the last NEC meeting. Governor Obaseki has, again, condemned the constitution of the Committee, which is ably led by our respected Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
“We are, indeed, aware that this committee was not only set up to look into the crisis in Edo APC but also in other states where we have issues such as Rivers, Ondo, Zamfara, etc. Remarkably, none of the leaders in these states have condemned the Committee but Obaseki who is always speaking from both sides of the mouth about the search for peace in Edo APC.
“We don’t think that former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo and former Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State defied these reputable institutions, including the party, before they were suspended by the party. It is clear we have a tyrant in Edo as governor.
“However, the actions of Governor Obaseki is not a surprise to the APC in Edo State because the governor and his cohorts had left the APC in the spirit but are creating confusion to destroy the party in the state and blame their despicable action on Comrade Oshiomhole. But they will fail in their evil enterprise.
“At the moment, Edo State Government House is now venue for meetings of PDP leaders in the state. But we are not worried about that because Governor Obaseki who failed to win his ward and unit during the Presidential election has no electoral prowess to upset the APC in the forthcoming gover election.
“The APC in Edo State expresses its gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up the National Reconciliation Committee. Edo APC looks forward to the Committee’s deliberation in Edo State.
“As a party, we want peace in our state. Therefore, we urge the Committee to disregard the position of the governor on this matter because Obaseki is not the owner of APC in Edo State.
“It is clear that even if our Lord Jesus Christ comes down from heaven to head the Committee, Governir Obaseki will still complain because his soul has left APC. ALL HE WANTS NOW IS TO DESTROY THE APC. But we will resist him no matter how much of the state’s funds he is throwing around in his desperation for a second term.
“Finally, we want to state categorically that, at no time, was our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, suspended from his ward. It is laughable that Governor Obaseki who does not understand the constitution of the APC will gather his SAs and Commissioners to Government House to announce that they have suspended our leaders, including Comrade Oshiomhole. How can a Governor who lost his ward, LGA and senatorial district in the last general election, say he has suspended people who won their areas for the APC? That is laughable.
“Prior to the general election, he made a pronouncement that any government appointee that lost his unit or ward during the election should resign. After the elections, we expected he would be a man of honour to resign after he lost his unit and ward, but he has remained as governor and has been tormenting leaders who won their areas for President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We appeal to our President and other leaders of the party to call Governor Obaseki to order as he is pushing Edo State to a state of anarchy. APC members are being hounded, beaten and maimed in any of their gatherings on the orders of Governor Obaseki. If he intends to leave the party as he had already perfected his plot, he should do so quietly so we can move on.
“We have implicit confidence in our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and we believe that he will lead Edo State to victory again in 2020”.