Edo: Oshiomhole Rallies Support, Obaseki Spits Fire

Tosin Olatokunbo

Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday thought the siege was over for him, after a court in the state struck out a suit seeking to remove him as the All Progressives Congress National Chairman.

But back home, the fire is burning under his groin as the state governor and former political ally warned him that the battle to destroy his political career has just started.

Governor Obaseki has now raised the stake in the bitter feud between him and his former godfather over the control of the soul of the state.

The governor spewed fire on Wednesday. Hear him“Comrade Oshiomhole stands suspended from the party.

In due course, we will expel him if he does not behave.

The party does not belong to him. It belongs to all of us. We are following the wish of our people.

Our next step is to make sure we convince more people to join our party so that all of us can move this state to the next level.

I will give you all the support to strengthen the party at the local government.

Monthly meetings must hold. Monthly ward meetings must hold. Attendance must be taken. Wherever there are issues, you sit down and discuss it.”

Those farmiliar with the politics of the state told the magazine that the door of reconcilliation between the two political gladiators seems to have been shut, with no room for elders of the party to intervene.

President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in his attempt to get the feuding parties shield their swords, party sources said.

On the other hand, the APC governors, Obaseki colleagues have indicated that they will back the governor to the end, in his attempt to stop what he described as godfatherism in Edo state.

Obaseki has also been getting support from governors in the opposition PDP.

For instance, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state recently threw his weight behind his counterpart in Edo, insisting that he will do everything is his powers to ensure his return to office for a second term.

“The two leaders have made up their minds on what they want to do. Oshiomhole is poised to make sure that the governor will not get the party nomination for the governorship contest later this year.

On his part, Obaseki is prepared to removed whatever is put on his path for a second term in office. You can now imagine while the stake is so high,” an APC chieftain in the state told the magazine on Wednesday, adding that “what we want in the state is peace because when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffer.”

So far, Oshiomhole seems to be losing support. But his supporters said the APC chairman has a way of staging a come back.

They warn that the APC boss will fight back with all he has.